October Swimmers of the Month

Juliana Vidal (TYPHOON 2)

Juliana was chosen as a swimmer of the month because she has been having a great season so far!  She was moved into TY2 recently and she has been working really hard on her strokes and technique.  Juliana is a good leader in her lane and listens very well to the coaches, and has a positive and fun attitude.  Juliana’s favorite meet so far was the SNOW Pumpkin meet in October because she shaved 10 seconds off her IM time.  Her favorite event to swim is IM because she gets to do all four strokes.  To get ready for a meet she likes to relax and watch TV, and eat healthy foods like yogurt.  She believes the most challenging part about being a swimmer is eating healthy and being/staying in the fast lane!  Some of her favorite things about being on BWST are the coaches and her friends.  One of her goals for this year is to improve all her times, but especially in breaststroke which she has been DQ’d in many times.  She will do this by continuing to work on her starts and pullouts.  Juliana’s favorite food is Clementine's, chocolate, and mashed potatoes.  Something you may not know about her is that she was born in Tampa, FL.  If she won the lottery the first thing she would do is give it to her family.  When she is not swimming Juliana likes to play the piano, basketball and do Girl Scouts.  One accomplishment outside of swimming that she is most proud of is getting straight A’s last term, because she worked so hard for them.  Way to go Juliana!

Sam Knowles (GREEN Crest 1)

Sam was chosen as a swimmer of the month because he has shown the coaches that he has been working really hard and working on his stroke technique.  He did a great job at the last meet because of this!  His hard work has been paying off and he has been listening well to the coaches.  Sam’s favorite meet was the first one in October because he had never done one before so it was a new experience for him.  His favorite event is the 50 breaststroke because he likes breaststroke and it doesn’t tire him too much.  To get ready for a meet he makes sure to practice hard so that he feels ready.  The most challenging part for him about being a swimmer is working on stroke technique and doing dryland.  Some things he likes about being on BWST is that the coaches pay attention to him and they are nice to him.  One of his goals for the year are to do better flip turns, get stronger and work on cardio.  Sam’s favorite food is mac and cheese.  Something you might not know about him is that he’s left-handed and was born in Texas.  If he won the lottery the first thing he would do would be to go and spend money! When he’s not swimming Sam likes to play video games, play outside with friends and play with his sister.  One of the accomplishments Sam is proud of is having patience with his friends, who can sometimes be mean.  Good job Sam!

Alex Vanik (BLUE Crest)

Alex was chosen as a swimmer of the month because he has shown great improvement and growth.  He listens and pays attention well and has been working really hard this season so far.  He has shown a great dedication to the sport and team!  Alex’s favorite meet this year was the travel meet to VA Tech in November.  He liked this one best because he swam more events than he has ever done in a meet before and he felt challenged by it.  He also swam the 500 free and 400 IM for the first time.  His favorite events to swim are the 200 free and 400 IM.  He likes the 200 free because it is more of a middle distance and he likes the 400 IM because it’s a challenge and you have to pace yourself.  To get ready for a meet Alex likes to eat healthy breakfasts and dinners, and go to bed early the night before.  He also likes to set goal times for each event that he is swimming.  He also practices hard to work on technique.  The most challenging part of being a swimmer for Alex is that it isn’t exactly a team sport…at the end of the day it’s about beating your own time and achieving your own goals.  The team supports you but you are racing on your own.  Some things he likes about being on BWST is that everyone knows each other, and the team is like one big family.  One of his goals for the season is to go under 3 minutes for 200 breaststroke.  This has been a hard stroke for him and he wants to improve his technique and turns, in order to drop time.  Alex’s favorite food is anything his Grandma cooks at her house!  Including zucchini casserole and frittata.  Something you might not know about Alex is that he played both soccer and baseball before joining BWST.  However he grew frustrated with both sports and turned to swimming instead.  If he won the lottery the first thing he would do would be to put it in the bank for future use on college and cars.  When he’s not swimming Alex likes to do Boy Scouts and get ready for a backpacking trip.  One accomplishment outside of swimming that he is most proud of is his academics and his straight A’s.  Awesome job Alex!

September Swimmers of the Month

Olivia LeCount (TYPHOON 2)

Olivia LeCount was chosen as a swimmer of the month for September because she has shown great improvement since joining the team last year as a Surfer.  She practiced hard over the summer to make all her strokes legal and move into TY, and in the process developed great stroke technique!  She also has a great attitude and is always positive and cheery, and listens to her coaches and focuses on doing the right things at practice.  Olivia’s favorite meet was the very first meet she attended last year at Madeira while on the Surfer squad, because she likes to try new things and this was her first meet.  Her favorite events are the butterfly events because when she swims it she actually feels like a butterfly in the water!  Her favorite set we do at practice is doing 75’s of breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle.  Olivia feels influenced as a swimmer by Dana Volmer, because when she broke the butterfly record it inspired her to want to become an Olympian and break records too.  The three things Olivia likes about being on BWST is having nice coaches and teammates, and learning all the strokes.  To get ready for a swim meet she likes to get a good nights sleep, eat healthy, and say to herself “I can do this, I can do this”.  One of her goals for this year is to do an IM and win first place, and she will plan to achieve this by swimming hard and trying her best.  Her advice for her teammates is to have a good attitude and try your best.  If she were stranded on a desert island, the three items she would want would be her family, a pool because she’s scared of the sharks in the ocean, and a lifetime supply of chocolate chip pancakes!  When she’s not swimming Olivia likes to go running, play in her room and organize it, eat, attend school, and work on art projects.  Way to go Olivia!

Johnathan Tran (GREEN Crest 1)

Johnathan Tran was chosen as a swimmer of the month because he has come a long way since his days in Typhoons!  Johnathan works really hard during practice and has improved his strokes tremendously.  He also has good focus and a good attitude at practice.  Johnathan’s favorite meets are the ones at Claude Moore, because their pool is deep so he can dive and streamline better.  His favorite event is the 100 free because that is his favorite stroke.  During practice he likes to work on position 11 kick, because he knows he needs to work on kicking more.  Johnathan feels influenced by his coaches because they have made swimming fun for him.  Jonathan really likes the fundraisers and team events that we do on BWST.  To get ready for a swim meet his mom will cook him a steak dinner the night before, and he makes sure to get a good nights sleep and have his bag packed and ready.  One of his goals is to get at least three BB times.  To acheive this he will need to kick very hard!  His advice for his teammates is to listen to the coaches, because they give you good advice and make it fun.  If he were stranded on a desert island, the three things he would want would be his family, people that could build stuff, and his smarts.  When he’s not swimming Johnathan likes to play the piano, go to religious education, read, play video games and spend time with his family.  Keep it up Johnathan!

Kaitlyn Pollock (GREEN Tide)

Kaitlyn Pollock was chosen as a swimmer of the month because she has had a great start to the new season!  She had a strong finish to the summer long course season by working hard and achieving her goals, and has started out this season on the same note.  She always has a great attitude and listens well to feedback from her coaches on how to improve.  Kaitlyn’s favorite swim meet was the Turkey Claus meet last year because she got to swim with her friends and watch finals.  Her favorite event is the 200 backstroke because she likes that it is not a short sprint, and she also likes 100 breaststroke because that is her favorite stroke and she likes to race it.  During practice she likes to do any set that involve backstroke and breaststroke, and the set 10 x 100 alternating freestyle and breaststroke with the breaststroke descending.  Kaitlyn has been influenced as a swimmer by her parents, because they were both swimmers, and her dad is a coach on the team (Coach Tom) and he went to VA Tech on a swimming scholarship.  The three things she likes best about being on BWST are the coaches, having her friends there, and that it’s a smaller team so everyone can get the chance to know each other!.  To get ready for a swim meet Kaitlyn makes sure to pack her bag the night before, listen to good music, and stretch her muscles.  One of her goals for the year is to make a JO qualifying time.  She plans to achieve this by working hard in practice and listening to what the coaches say.  Her advice for her teammates is if you work hard you can achieve anything!  If she were stranded on a desert island, the three items she would want with her would be a radio, her mom, and her friends.  When Kaitlyn’s not swimming she likes to dance, play volleyball, read and hang out with friends.  Awesome job Kaitlyn!

June Swimmers of the Month

Christina Yang (Level 1/Typhoon 1)

Christina Yang was chosen as a swimmer of the month for June because of the progress she has made swimming with us over the summer session!  Christina has been working hard this summer and has been improving her stroke technique so that she will be ready for typhoons this fall season.  She also has great attendance and a great attitude as well.  Christina’s favorite stroke to swim is breaststroke because she’s fast at it and it’s easy for her.  Her favorite event is the 50 breaststroke, and she likes when her squad works on breaststroke technique during practice.  She has been influenced as a swimmer by her older brothers, Eric and Dennis, because they have been swimming for many years so she figured she should too!  The three things Christina likes about being on BWST are the coaches because they are fun and nice, the activities like rock climbing and going to the water park, and the friends she makes on the team.  To get ready for a swim meet she makes sure to stretch, eat health, and do a good warm-up.  One of her goals for the year is to stay legal in her 100 IM.  Her advice for her teammates is to try your best and never give up!  If she was stranded on a desert island, the three items she would want with her would be an Ipad, her dog, and stuffed animals.  When Christina’s not swimming she likes to play soccer and play with her friends.  Way to go Christina!

Regan Holstein (Level 2/Green Crest 2)

Regan Holstein was chosen as a swimmer of the month for June because she has been working very hard this past season and summer!  She has improved her strokes and her focus and attention on her technique.  She also has a great attitude at practices and meets.  She has swam at the long course meets this summer and has qualified for the 14 & Under champs meet in July!  Regan’s favorite meet this year was the Hokie Travel meet because it was fun to stay at the hotel and swim in a new pool.  Her favorite stroke and events are the backstroke events, because they are fun for her.  During practice, her favorite set that they do are the freestyle progression drills caught by Coach Stephen this summer.  Regan has been influenced by her sister Cassie, because Cassie joined swim team and it looked like fun!  The three things that she likes best about being on BWST are the coaches, being with friends, and getting to swim all the time.  To get ready for a meet she makes sure to rest and eat a good meal.  One of her goals for this year was to make qualifying times for JOs, which she did this summer.  Her advice for her teammates is to just keep working hard.  If she were stranded on a desert island the three things she would want would be a pool, a swimsuit, and all the chicken and broccoli she could eat!  When she’s not swimming, she likes to read and hang out with friends.  Great job Regan!

Nico Burbano (Level 3/Green Tide)

Nico Burbano was chosen as a swimmer of the month for June because of the dedication and passion he has shown this past season for swimming on the team!  He has had a great attitude and has been greatly improving his strokes and speed.  Nico’s favorite meet this year was the SNOW Long Course meet in May because he reached his goal of getting his first “A” time in the 50 free.  His favorite event to swim is the 200 IM because he finds it’s fun to swim more than one stroke in a single race.  During his practices he likes it when they do a 400 IM build-up set, because it’s challenging and makes him feel accomplished when it’s over.  Nico feels influenced as a swimmer by Coach Gabe because of his amazing coaching techniques, and he feels Coach Gabe has made him a better swimmer.  The three things he likes best about being on BWST are the team fundraisers, because it brings the team together (such as the Swim-A-Thon), the inspirational speeches the coaches give, and the practices that help everyone improve.  To get ready for a meet Nico makes sure to get a good night’s sleep, get his bag together with his goggles and towels, and get his water bottle and snacks together.  One of his goals for the season is to make finals at a championship meet.  He believes he can achieve this by practicing with his goal in mind, and staying focused during the meets.  His advice for his teammates is if you really work hard, you will be able to achieve great things.  If he were stranded on a desert island the three items he would want would be duct tape, a boat with gasoline, and a headset to contact people.  When he’s not swimming Nico likes to listen to music, do/teach martial arts, read books, play basketball, play Xbox, watch TV, and go bike riding.  Awesome job Nico!

Michael Kost (Level 4/Blue Tide)

Michael Kost was chosen as a swimmer of the month for June because he has been working hard this season and has been able to improve his focus and improve his strokes.  Michael has enjoyed all the swim meets this year, and his favorite events to swim are the 200 free and 400 IM because they are fun and challenging.  His favorite set to do during practice is 1/2/3/4/5/ and 6; 50 fly on a minute.  Michael feels influenced as a swimmer by Olympian Michael Phelps and BWST coaches and former swimmer Stephen Clendenin, because they both work hard and love what they do, and they are both awesome at butterfly.  The three things that Michael likes best about being on BWST is friends, coaches and travel meets.  To get ready for a meet, Michael likes to listen to music, have a good night’s sleep, and eat a good meal.  One of his goals for the year is to break more records and he will achieve this by working hard in practice.  His advice for his teammates is to go to practice!  If he were stranded on a desert island, the three items he would want with him would be water, chicken tenders, and sunglasses.  When he’s not swimming Michael likes to sleep, eat, and hang out with friends.  Keep up the good work Michael!

March Swimmers of the Month

Sabine Soong (Typhoon 2)

Sabine was chosen as a swimmer of the month because of all the hard work and effort she has shown this season!  Sabine's strokes have developed nicely and she always shows enthusiasm at practices and meets and has a great attitude.  Her favorite meet this year was mini champs in March, because she won a lot of heat winner ribbons!  Her favorite events to swim are the 25 butterfly and the 100 IM because she is good at them.  During practice Sabine enjoys working on breaststroke because it is relaxing.  Sabine has been influenced as a swimmer by her mother, because her mom has always encouraged her to do her best!  The three things that Sabine likes about being on BWST are having friends on the team, doing dives, and it makes her better at PE in school.  To get ready for a swim meet she makes sure to get in the "mental zone".  One of her goals for the season is to be better at dryland, because she knows this is an important part of practice.  Her advice for her teammates is to "get in the zone at swim meets!"  If she were stranded on a desert island, the three things she would want with her would be a non-stop food and water maker, air conditioning, and clothes.  When Sabine's not swimming she likes to read, watch TV, and do anything other than homework!  Awesome job Sabine!

Sophia McLain (CREEN Crest 1)

Sophia was chosen as a swimmer of the month because she has been working so hard this season, and has really come a long way since being in breakers.  Her strokes have really developed, and she always gives 100% effort at practice and meets.  She's also not afraid to try new events!  Sophia's favorite meet this year was the Early Bird LC meet because it was her first long course meet of the summer.  Her favorite events to swim are the 50 and 100 breaststroke.  Sophia developed a love of swimming from necessity - when she was little she loved being in the water and wanted to learn to swim so that she wouldn't drown.  She has a lot of self-motivation to improve and work hard in this sport.  The three things that she likes about being on BWST are having coaches that care about you, being able to work on times and technique, and having nice friends.  To get ready for a meet Sophia likes to eat a good dinner the night before and get a good night's sleep.  One of her goals for the year is to get BB times, and she plans to achieve this by working hard in practice.  Sophia's advice for her teammates is to challenge yourself and do the set right the first time.  If she were stranded on a desert island the three things that she would want would be unlimited food and water, all her family members, and unlimited hot sauce.  When she's not swimming Sophia likes to read, ride her bike, sleep, eat, and hang out with family and friends.  Way to go Sophia!

Jackson Lucas (BLUE Tide)

Jackson was chosen as a swimmer of the month for March because of his dedication and effort, and his love for the sport and the team.  Jackson works as hard as he needs to in order to improve his strokes.  This is why he was moved into BT as a 12 year old.  His attendance at both practices and meets is great, and he has scored points for the team at championship meets!  Jackson’s favorite meet this year was 14 & Under JO’s in March because he made finals in two events and placed in the top 16 in three events.  His favorite events to swim are the 100 back, 500 free and 200 IM.  He likes the 500 free and 200IM because they take endurance which he likes.  He also likes any long distance freestyle event, including open water!  His favorite set at practice is doing super 500’s (500’s broken up into different sets) because this takes endurance.  Jackson feels influenced by Olympians Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak (who was a guest at BWST last year) because they both showed that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.  Some things that Jackson likes about being on BWST are the practices and sets they do, his coaches, and his friends on the team.  To get ready for a meet he makes sure to stay hydrated, get enough sleep, eat well, and listen to his swim meet playlist.  One of his goals for next year is to make Tom Dolan and JO cuts as a 13 year old in 6 or more events.  His advice for his teammates is to stay positive!  Also if you do everything you can to try and reach a goal, you will get there!  If he were stranded on a desert island the three things he would want would be goggles, friends, and music.  When Jackson isn’t swimming he likes to mountain bike, play paintball, go snowboarding, and hang out with friends.  Great job Jackson!

February Swimmers of the Month

Lizzy Mandrgoc (Green Tide)

Lizzy was chosen as a swimmer of the month due to her hard work at both practice and meets!  Lizzy’s favorite meet was Turkey Clause in December.  She likes this meet because it has three days and it has prelims and finals.  Her favorite events to swim are the 200 breast, 100 breast, 200 IM and 500 free.  She likes these because they are her best events and they are fun.  Her favorite set at practices is when they do super 500’s (500’s broken up into mini sets).  Lizzy has been influenced as a swimmer by her teammates because they always push her to be a better swimmer, and they have been swimming together for a long time (almost 7 years).  The three things Lizzy likes best about being on BWST is all the attention you get at practices because they are smaller sized groups, her nice coaches, and her teammates and friends.  To get ready for a meet Lizzy likes to go to bed early, eat a healthy meal the night before and drink lots of water!  One of her goals for this year is to make JO’s (as a 13 yr old).  To meet this goal she will work on thinking more about the positive and not focusing on the negative.  Her advice for her teammates is to always work hard and never give up even when things seem impossible.  If she were stranded on a desert island, the three things she would want would be an airplane, a cap and goggles to swim, and a limo to take her back home from the airport.  When Lizzy isn’t swimming she likes to ride her bike and hang out with her friends.  Awesome job Lizzy!

Aaron Lee (Typhoon 1)

Aaron was chosen as swimmer of the month because he been working hard and has made so many improvements this season!  Aaron’s favorite swim meet was the Winter Gator Mini meet because he swam his first 100 freestyle.  His favorite event to swim is the 100 IM because he can swim all four strokes!  Aaron feels influenced by the BWST coaches because they have been teaching him to swim since he was 3 years old and they make him work hard.  The three things Aaron likes best about being on BWST are the Winter Holiday Bowling Party, eating and playing at the annual picnic/team banquet, and going to swim meets.  To get ready for a swim meet Aaron makes sure to eat healthy foods the night before, get a good nights sleep, and make sure he’s been going to practice.  One of his goals for this year is to get a “B” time standard.  His advice for his teammates is to come to practice on time and swim fast, and to come to meets so that we have relay teams!  If he were stranded on a desert island the three items he would want would be water, a hat, and sunglasses.  When he’s not swimming Aaron likes to play hockey and baseball.  Great job Aaron!

Jackson McCummings (Green Crest 1)

Jackson was chosen as a swimmer of the month because he has shown great improvement since joining green crest, and he always has a great attitude!  He also works very hard to refine his stroke technique during practice.  Jackson’s favorite meet this year was the January Open, because it gave him a chance to swim some of the “bigger” events that he hadn’t done before.  His favorite events to swim are the 200 free, 100 back and 50 breast.  These are his favorite because every time he swims them he improves and goes faster, and he feels strong and comfortable swimming them.  His favorite set they do in practice is doing 2 x 75 of each stroke, IM order, kick, drill swim.  Jackson feels influenced as a swimmer by his mother, because any time that he didn’t want to come to practice, she would make him go, and that has helped him improve.  Plus she’s always there to encourage him if he gets upset by a bad time at a meet.  He also feels influenced by Michael Phelps because he is inspirational.  Some things Jackson likes about being on BWST is that his coaches and teammates are always encouraging, which has helped him to become a better swimmer, and the coaches are always there to help fix his stroke technique.  To get ready for a swim meet Jackson makes sure to get a good nights sleep, pack his swim bag ahead of time and visualize and talk to himself about his swims.  One of his goals for the year is to achieve bronze level Club Tsunami.  Once he found out about Club Tsunami he made it a goal to join!  He plans to achieve this by working hard, never giving up, and believing in himself.  His advice for his teammates is to always believe in yourself and never give up, always follow your dreams, and eat well and sleep well.  Also you have to have confidence in yourself!  If he were stranded on a desert island, the three items he would want would be food, water, and his Kindle Fire for listening to music and watching TV.  When he’s not swimming Jackson likes to play with his friends, play with Legos, read, ride his bike and scooter, get on the computer, and write.  Way to go Jackson!

Austin Chen (Tidal Wave)

Austin was chosen as a swimmer of the month because even though he just came back to the team recently, he’s been working hard and was able to jump right back into the swing of things.  While he’s in TW now he is working hard to get back to BT for next season!  Austin’s doesn’t really have a favorite meet, because he loves being at all of them and enjoys the atmosphere of the meet and the rush of the meet.  He likes to swim the 200 breast because he love that stroke the best, and likes to challenge himself to spring the whole event.  He also likes all the freestyle events.  During practice, his favorite set is the “whistle set'” where the kids challenge themselves to jump up to the higher distance with the same amount of rest.  He likes it because of the challenge and because it is self-paced.  Austin feels like he has been influenced by his parents because they have given him so much support over the years and are supportive of his swimming.  He also looks up to the Olympic swimmers and loves to watch them compete.  A few things that Austin likes best about being on BWST is the great coaching that focuses on technique, making new friends in a positive team atmosphere, having lots of things to participate in (both SC and LC meets and team activities).  To get ready for a meet Austin makes sure to work on his preparation during practice.  That’s where he gets to iron out his strokes and make sure he feels they are ready.  He also gets lots of sleep and eats well.  One of his goals for the year is to get an “A” time in either the 50 free or the 100-200 breast.  Those are his best strokes and his best chances to get an “A” time.  His advice to his teammates is not to skip practice!  While Austin has done this on occasion, he always regrets not having that chance to work on his strokes and speed in the pool.  Also his advice is to enjoy practices and figure out what you can improve.  If he were stranded on a desert island he would bring an axe, a fork, and a large white cloth.  When Austin is not swimming he likes to sleep and eat!  Great job Austin!

January Swimmers of the Month

Vy Dinh (TYPHOON 2)

Vy was chosen as swimmer of the month for her outstanding work in practice, and her recent success at Blue Wave swim meets.  From these meets she says the Polar Pentathlon was her favorite because she dropped nine-seconds in her 100 IM!  However, she also enjoyed the meet because she got to spend time with her best friends and coaches.  Vy says that this is what she enjoys the most about swimming for Blue Wave; the coaches, her friends, and getting to swim on relays!

You may recognize Vy as a face in the crowd at her older sister Trang’s swim meets (a swimmer of the month from last month!).  She says that watching her sister swim gives her a lot of motivation, and she aspires to swim just like her sister someday!

Outside of swimming Vy enjoys playing piano, going to church school, drawing at home, and playing wii with her friends!  She says that if stranded on a desert island all she would need is her friends, family, and a mansion full of awesome stuff to enjoy with them! She tells her team mates to always listen to the coach, and loves to swim butterfly and breaststroke.  Good luck in the upcoming meets Vy, and congratulations on being Blue Wave swimmer of the month!

Grace Ann Walton (GREEN Crest 1)

Grace Ann was chosen as a swimmer of the month for her love of both the team and of the sport.  She says her favorite parts about swimming for Blue Wave are competing and getting better in all of her strokes, and she shows it to her coaches and teammates every day at practice and at meets!  Her mom is her biggest influence in swimming because she pushes her to attend practice regularly and try her best.  Grace Ann especially loves swimming breaststroke, and is looking to make JOs in the 50 Breast next month!  However, she enjoys working all of her strokes in practice and says the November Open Meet was her favorite because she was able to swim all four strokes in different events.

Outside of the pool Grace Ann loves going to dance class and watching “Dual Survival” on television.  This has prepared her to know that if she is ever stranded on a desert island she would want a 3 gallon bottle of water, a knife, a tent!  Just as she pays attention to survival shows, she recommends that her teammates do the same and always listen to their coaches to be better swimmers!

Katie Herbstritt (BLUE Crest)

Katie was picked as a swimmer of the week this month for her positivity towards both practices and meets.  It has been a goal of Katie’s to win this award, and she has demonstrated on a consistent basis how much she deserves the award!  She enjoys working hard, pushing through tough sets in practice, and encourages her friends to do the same!  She says she models herself after Michael Phelps, and wants to be just as great an athlete when she grows up, especially in her favorite stroke, breaststroke!

Outside of swimming, Katie likes to hang out playing on the computer or watching TV.  She says that if she were stranded on a desert island that all she would need is her friends and a swim suit to enjoy the water and sun!  She encourages her teammates to have fun in practice and at meets, and leads by example with her attitude and work ethic.  Congratulations Katie, and good luck at JOs coming up very soon!

December Swimmers of the Month

Zack Mitarotonda (TYPHOON 1)

Zack was chosen as swimmer of the month for displaying a competitive attitude and eagerness to learn at both practice and at meets. Zack is attentive towards the coaches and encourages his team mates to always have fun and try their best. He loved competing in the Polar Pentathlon swimming all four strokes like his role model Michael Phelps, however he enjoys the 50 breaststroke as his favorite event. He is working hard to reach his goal of achieving “B” times in his events and is excited to continue competing through the winter months. Outside of the pool Zack loves to be outdoors with his friends and going to Karate class. He is a great part of the Blue Wave family and a role model for everyone he practices with. Congratulations Zack!

 

Natalie Smithers (GREEN Crest 2)

Natalie was a coaches decision for December’s swimmer of the month for her work ethic in practice, and competitiveness in meets. Her favorite meet was December’s Turkey Claus where she had the great experience of returning to the finals sessions each night for most all of her events. She too is influenced by Michael Phelps in her aspirations to improve in each stroke to become better in her favorite event, the Individual Medley. In doing this she motivates herself and her team mates to create a great practice atmosphere that is competitive, motivational, and fun! She enjoys being a part of the Blue Wave family traveling around the state to different meets with supportive coaches and good friends.

Outside of the pool she enjoys Hip Hop Class, writing stories, playing with her puppies, and just hanging out with her friends. She claims that if stranded on a desert islands she would want a phone, a unicorn, and a pair of goggles in hopes to use all of them to get back to safety! In the coming months she aspires to be a more confident swimmer, and set higher goals for herself as she comes across new challenges down the road. Good luck Natalie and congratulations on swimmer of the month!

 

Trang Dinh (BLUE Crest)

Trang received swimmer of the month as a reward for a daily dedication to both her team and herself. A soft spoken role model, she consistently sets an example by the effort that she puts into practice. She enjoys training mostly freestyle, however her favorite event to compete in is the 200 IM. Her favorite competition was the H2Okie Thanksgiving Invitational where she got to share a room with her friends, and enjoy a great experience with the Blue Wave family. She draws much influence from Simon Jackson, who insists that if you are serious about wanting something you are going to have to work for it, and not just dream about it. This is also a reason why she enjoys being part of Blue Wave, where she can work for her goals with her nice coaches, great friends, and challenging practices.

Apart from swimming Trang enjoys reading, drawing, and going to the mall with her friends. She also claims that if she were stranded on an island, she would want her best friend, some matches, and her ipod to make the most of her time there. Always moving forwards with a positive mindset, Trang hopes to make a JO cut this upcoming spring. Good luck moving forwards and congratulations Trang!

 

Kayla Snider (GREEN Tide)

Kayla is a new addition to the Blue Wave family and has alread y demonstrated an unprecedented work ethic, positive attitude, and love for the sport. She exemplifies a passion for swimming that she claims she draws from her team and great coaches. She looks to Coach Gabe and Coach Mike as role models that she says “...help me realize what I can do and help me push myself farther that I thought possible.” With much success in recent meets, she claims the Blue Wave Distance Meet was her favorite because she got to experience a new event that allowed her to push herself and strategize in a new way. This was also the meet where she set the new Blue Wave team record in the 1000 yard freestyle!

When she’s not swimming Kayla likes to read, volunteer at the library, and cook. She says that if she were stuck on a deserted island, she would want her Hunger Games book trilogy, a bathing suit, and some sunscreen so she could relax and take it all in! She is persistent in her goal of getting a JO cut in the 100 Breaststroke, and looks to do so by this spring. Kayla says she is very grateful for her supportive team mates and coaches, and the Blue Wave family is happy to have her as a part of it as well. For inspiration for both herself and her team mates she draws from the Emerson quote,

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” Good luck in the coming months before JO’s and congratulations Kayla!