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Saturday, March 1, 2008
Berks' Swimmers Making a Splash
Greater Reading, PA
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By: Rebecca J. Simmons, VYPE
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Get out your goggles and grab a towel. It’s swim season and Berks County boys’ and girls’ swimmers and divers are vying for the top spot in this competitive sport. Most teams typically practice six to seven days a week in order to stay in the best shape. But while it’s a sport that focuses on individual top physical condition and athleticism, the idea of “team” still runs strong.
“When we meet with the team at the start of the season, we emphasize the concept of team rather than individually. Our goals are individual improvements in order to first win a meet, then our league, then districts, and finally state,” said Wilson High School’s girl’s swim coach Bob Bright. “We are a team first and we swim for the team, not for outside influences.”
Wilson’s girls’ team has a broad range of talent and depth this year. “We have a roster of 34 girls. This is the largest team I have ever had in the 27 years that I have been coaching,” Bright said. This year, freshman talents like Caitlyn Karr who swims all events and Taylor Straub who swims backstroke, sprints and butterfly are increasing the chances of a strong team in the future. Karr is a veteran of the sport, despite being new to the Bulldog team. “I’ve been swimming for six years. I started when I was 9,” she said. “The hardest thing about swimming that most people wouldn’t know is working on your technique. You can always challenge yourself to get to the next level. Swimming has taught me so many different things, but most of all I would say, never give up, even when you have your down moments.” Wilson sophomores Paige Impink and Stacey McGregor both swim in all events. Juniors competing are Tatum Colitz in butterfly and freestyle sprints and Madison Hauk in breaststroke and sprints. Wilson senior distance swimmers Chelsea Beck, and Caitlin McGregor and individual medley and breaststroke swimmer Morgan Curran add the veteran experience.
Muhlenberg High’s boys’ coach Todd Eisenhofer has a team with depth this year, although he said they don’t have the veteran swimmers like some teams.
“Half of our team has only started swimming this year or last. Our biggest strength is depth. This is the largest team (15 members) I’ve had since coaching. I credit the start of water polo in our district for getting more boy swimmers. Being able to fill all three lanes in any event can win meets, even when you don’t always get first or second place,” Eisenhofer said. Standout swimmers include sophomore Zach Chow and senior Tony Florida who have both competed at the state level. Chow’s times this season have put him at the top for swimmers in the state, competing in events like the 100, 200 and 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.
Florida started swimming for Eisenhofer his freshman year, but took a year off from swimming, coming back last year. “He earned himself a spot on two state relays, one of which placed second in the state,” Eisenhofer said. “Tony has come a long way since his freshman year and seems to always step it up when we need him.” Despite the hiatus, Florida’s been swimming since he was 6-years-old. He loves the sport in spite of the early a.m. practices and six days/week training. “Swimming is a great sport due to the fact that you can compete for yourself,” Florida says. “However, the better you do, the better the team does. It’s a win-win situation.”
Veteran coach Bob Heist of Governor Mifflin is just in his first year as the boy’s and girl’s swim coach. Heist has also coached water polo and track. With a large girls’ team of 36 swimmers, Heist says the Mustangs have a lot of depth with good sprinters and distance swimmers. While the boys’ team lacks numbers this year, Heist said sophomore RJ Porrazzo (freestyle and backstroke) and junior Ben Scheipe (freestyle distance) are standouts. Scheipe is swimming despite a dislocated shoulder injury he suffered in October during water polo. Divers Angela Worlui, a senior, and junior Alex Marchinski are strengths on the board for Mifflin. Other contributing members are: senior Katie Ness competing in freestyle and backstroke, junior Christin DeMoss swimming distance and relays, and senior Hayli L’Esperance swimming freestyle and butterfly.
Young, Willing, and Able
Reading High’s swim teams are young and looking towards a bright future. Coach Bob Heebner said this year’s team has great chemistry, often a challenge. “The strengths of this team are twofold. One, they are a great group of kids who really get along and that’s not always the case with kids. Secondly, we only have three seniors, so I expect this group to continue to improve and get stronger as they mature.” While a smaller team often means it a challenge to fill events in dual meets, Heebner notes swimmers like D. Michael Linderman, Ted Rysz and Josh Smith are standouts. For the girls’, Kim Goodhart, Amanda Fisher and Allison Brophy are strengths this season for Reading. “The season for me so far has been going pretty good,” said junior Amanda Fisher. “I have had some of my best times and plan on continuing to improve them. There have been points where swimming would drive me nuts, but I stuck it out and was satisfied with the results.” Fisher feels her determination and hard work has paid off in more ways than one. “Swimming has taught me that at whatever level you are as a swimmer, you can continue to advance with discipline and hard work.”
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