Tuesday, January 22, 2008

January 19 Meet vs. St. Bernard

If you give every race your best shot,
you will come out on top no matter what the score.


Another terrific meet by the Swimming Eagles. Despite losing another close contest to St. Bernard's (210-165), this was truly one of the more exciting meets of which I have been a part!

In addition to winning a season high 139 ribbons, many of the races came down to the final touch. We have been practicing our starts and finishes each Monday, and it its starting to pay off.

Congratulations to the following swimmers who earned 35 First Place Ribbons

  • Cassandra Gharnit: 10U Girls 25 yd Freestyle
  • Kyle Carroll: 10U Boys 25 yd Freestyle
  • Gabriella Vidad: 8U Girls 25 yd Backstroke (Gabby is now 3 for 3 in this event)
  • Eamonn McNicholas: 8U Boys 25 yd Backstroke
  • Nicolette Chase: 10U Girls 25 yd Backstroke
  • Kyle Carroll: 10U Boys 25 yd Backstroke (Kyle is now 3 for 3 in this event)
  • Kiley Ferreri: 14U Girls 50 yd Freestyle
  • Yasmeen Gharnit: 18U Girls 50 yd Freestyle
  • Kelly Meenan: 12U Girls 50 yd Backstroke
  • Yasmeen Gharnit: 18U Girls 50 yd Breaststroke
  • Gabriella Vidad: 8U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Nora Montera: 8U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Maggie Lavelle: 8U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Brenna Morrisey: 8U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Michael Epilone: 8U Boys 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Steven Girasi: 8U Boys 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Eamonn McNicholas: 8U Boys 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Andrew Catinella: 8U Boys 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Brianna Donlon: 10U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Cassandra Gharnit: 10U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Libbie Sudweeks: 10U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Nicolette Chase: 10U Girls 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Gabriella Vidad: 8U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay (her 3rd 1st place of the meet)
  • Jennifer Smith: 8U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Brenna Morrisey: 8U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Maggie Lavelle: 8U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Andrew Catinella: 8U Boys 100 yd Freestyle Relay (his 3rd 1st place of the meet)
  • Doug Chase: 8U Boys 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Michale Epilone: 8U Boys 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Eamonn McNicholas: 8U Boys 100 yd Freestyle Relay (his 3rd 1st place of the meet)
  • Libbie Sudweeks: 10U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Veronica Morrish:10U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Jessica Giuliani: 10U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Cassandra Gharnit: 10U Girls 100 yd Freestyle Relay (her 3rd 1st place of the meet)

I was very proud of all of our swimmers; they swam hard in the water and gave it everything they had, and cheered just as hard from the sidelines. We truly showed team spirit and looked great in our team suits and caps.

Practice
Our next practice is Monday Jan 28. I will have the rest of the swim suits, t-shirts for anyone who has not yet gotten one, window clings for those who did not pick them up and my "lost and found" box

League Meets
Our next meet is schedule for Sat Feb 2, 3:30 start at Bethpage HS vs. St Agnes. Please be on the pool deck by 3:00pm. If you cannot make the meet, please let me know asap.

Our meet scheduled for Feb 9 has been postponed to Sat March 29, 3:30 at Bethpage HS

In House Meets
We will plan two more in-house meets (giving us a total of 12 meets), one in February (tentatively schedule for Feb 25th) and one in March (tentatively scheduled for March 24)

Championship Meet
The "B" Division Championships are schedule for Wednesday April 2nd at the Aquatic Center. Although only about half of the team will be able to participate, please mark your calendar and plan to attend so all of our swimmers get to experience the meet and cheer on their teammates.

Selection for the championships will be based on performance at the meets and attendance at practice. Final selections and alternates will be announced after the March in-house meet.

See you all on the 28th

Coach Carroll (Kevin)

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

January 13 Meet vs. St Bernard

The Swimming Eagles may have lost the meet to St Bernard's (205-165), but don't let the final score fool you. This was a very close meet. Had we taken first place in 4 relays rather than 2nd and 3rd place in 1 individual rather than 4th, we would have won - and we were missing over 30 of our teammates! We have come a long way since October and all of the swimmers' hard working, as well as that of our Coaches', is truly paying off.

This week our swimmers earned 114 ribbons, and we offer our congratulations to the following swimmers who combined to earn 38 First Place Ribbons!
  • Kyle Carroll - 10U Boys: 25 yd freestyle
  • Gabriella Vidad - 8U Girls: 25 yd backstroke (her 2nd in two meets)
  • Eamonn McNicholas - 8U Boys: 25 yd backstroke
  • Nicolette Chase - 10U Girls: 25 yd backstroke
  • Kyle Carroll - 10U Boys: 25 yd backstroke (his 2nd in two meets)
  • Nora Montera - 8U Girls: 25 yd breaststroke
  • Anthony Inciarrano - 10U Boys: 25 yd breaststroke
  • Kiley Ferreri - 14U Girls: 50 yd Freestyle
  • Kelly Meenan - 14U Girls: 50 yd backstroke
  • Sean Brieman - 14U Boys: 50 yd backstroke
  • Maggie Panico - 8U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Gabriella Vidad - 8U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Bridget Morrisey - 8U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Jennifer Smith - 8U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Steven Girasi - 8U Boys: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Andrew Catinella - 8U Boys: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Eamonn McNicholas - 8U Boys: 100 yd Medley Relays
  • Doug Chase - 8U Boys: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Brianna Donlon - 10U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Cassandra Gharnit - 10U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Caitlin Benedetto - 10U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Jessica Giuliani - 10U Girls: 100 yd Medley Relay
  • Erik Arians - 18U Boys: 200 yd Medley Relay
  • Michael Ziedalski - 18U Boys: 200 yd Medley Relay
  • Nicholas Coppola - 18U Boys: 200 yd Medley Relay
  • Sean Brieman - 18U Boys: 200 yd Medley Relay
  • Bridget Morrisey - 8U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Nora Montera - 8U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Maggie Panico - 8U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Gabriella Vidad - 8U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay - her 3rd First Place of the Meet!
  • MaryKate McGee - 10U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Ashley Stock - 10U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Jessica Giuliani - 10U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Cassandra Gharnit - 10U Girls: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Brendan McGee - 12U Boys: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Chris Moore - 12U Boys: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Connor Hoehing - 12U Boys: 100 yd Freestyle Relay
  • David Vidad - 12U Boys: 100 yd Freestyle Relay

My thanks to all of our coaches, once again, for helping to make the meet run smooth, working the scorer's table and for getting our swimmers to their lanes on time. Your time and patience are greatly appreciated.

Thanks to our Team Captains for helping out at the meet, leading us in our team cheer and most importantly for working with the younger swimmers at practice. You are all making a difference!

Final thanks to our teammate Caitlin Roberti, who cheered us on from the stands with her own homemade banner! You really made your teammates feel special!

Looking forward to our "Home Opener" on Saturday, January 19, 3:30 at Bethpage High School (on the pool deck for arm-ups by 3:00pm.

Coach Carroll (Kevin)

Monday, January 7, 2008

January 6 Meet vs St William

Despite losing the meet (285-94), the Swimming Eagles garnered a number of individual successes.

I was especially proud of our 8Under Swimmers
  • Bridget Morrisey
  • Gabriela Vidad
  • Maggie Lavelle
  • Maggie Panico
  • Olivia McNicolas
  • Ben Clingen
  • Doug Chase
  • Eamonn McNicolas
  • Jack McGee
  • Liam Schmith
  • Michael Epilone
  • Steven Themistocleous.

The Aquatic Center can be very intimidating, with all of the fans, the deep water and very large pool area, but our 8 & unders showed no fear and swam terrific races. I hope they are all as proud of themselves as I am of each one of them.

We had 75 swimmers participate and earned close to 70 ribbons. Special mention to the following swimmers who earned a First Place Ribbon in their 2008 debuts.
  • Maggie Lavelle - 8U 25 yd Freestyle
  • Gabriella Vidad - 8U 25 yd Backstroke
  • Kyle Carroll - 10U 25 yd Backstroke
  • Alessandra Moore - 18U 50 yd Freestyle
  • Kiley Ferreri - 18U 200 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Brittney Hoehing - 18U 200 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Sarah Gharnit - 18U 200 yd Freestyle Relay
  • Yasmeen Gharnit - 18U 200 yd Freestyle Relay.
I would also like to thank our coaches who helped out timing the races, working the lanes, making changes to the events and working the scorer's table. The meet would not have been as successful without all of your hard work and diligence.

Thanks also to our two photographers - Ginny Carroll (Kyle and Kelly's mom) and Joanna Vidad (Gabby and David's mom). Photo's should be available on the website soon.

Last, I would like to thank all of the parents for your commitment to the team and for cheering on our swimmers at the meet. I know it meant the world to them.

Our next meet is Sunday, 10:30 at the Aquatic Center vs St Bernard. Please be on the pool deck by 10:00am, and if you cannot attend the meet, please let me know as soon as possible, even if it is last minute.

Stay Well

Coach Carroll (Kevin)