Swimmers go the extra lap at large Aquatics Center meet
Swimmers go the extra lap at large Aquatics Center meet
Morgan Hill
The local Makos swim team showed significant improvement in times posted by its members during a Pacific Swimming team meet two weekends ago at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center.
Pacific Swimming is one of the largest of the 59 local swimming committees (LSCs), or administrative subdivisions, of USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport of competitive swimming in the U.S.
The local 60-plus swimmers were among more than 850 youth representing 37 Pacific Swimming teams during the Nov. 17-18 event, hosted by the Morgan Hill Swim Club.
Pacific Swimming has established age-group time standards which are identified with letters. B, BB, and A standards are the basic developmental and meet entry time standards used in Pacific’s age group program. B is the entry level standard (a C or Novice time is any time slower than the B time standard), and an A time is everyone’s first big goal. AA, AAA, and AAAA times are higher-level motivational standards (Note: 8/unders do not have all of these standards.)
With more than 15 Makos earning 34 new B times, six Makos earning eight new A times, and one new AA time, the meet was a sound early season success.
“The team has been focusing on freestyle lately, and the work paid off nicely,” head coach Mark Scott said.
Ricki Cruz, 8, ended up with five new B times, and one new A time. She dropped almost seven seconds in the 50-yard freestyle to earn a new A time.
Mika Itow, 8, swam almost four seconds faster in the 50-yard freestyle to earn an A time there as well.
Macie Kerr, 13, improved to a new A time in the 400 inter medley, and Daniel Pawlak, 11, scored two new B times, and a new A in the 100-yard freestyle.
Karen McElheny, 15, snagged two new A times, just missing breaking the minute mark in the 100-yard freestyle.
Gabrielle Smith, 12, raced to new A times in the 50-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard breaststroke.
“(Smith’s) new AA time in the 200-yard breaststroke was an excellent early season performance, and was remarkable as it was one of her first times swimming that event,” Scott said.
As good as the team performance was, the tune-up is over for the Makos who swim in the Pacific Swimming Junior Olympics Championships Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 in Pacifica.
“This meet is a fast, tough meet, and with trials and finals it’s a full three days,” Scott said.
Morgan Hill Makos Rachel Cretcher, Macie Kerr, Christiana Bridges, Gabrielle Smith, Daniel Pawlak, and Sesa Ferdun are all qualified for and ready to swim at the Junior Olympics Championships.
