Printer Friendly Version - Several Valley Shore YMCA Marlins Swimmers Qualify for Postseason Meets

Pictured are the Valley Shore YMCA Marlins recent postseason qualifiers (front row) Jack Wiley (Old Saybrook), Jennifer Park (Niantic), Cora Deming (Clinton), Lucca Giordano (Essex), and Gus Van Berkel (Essex); (second row) Kelsey O’Donnell (Essex), Anna Macauley (Essex), Kaeleigh O’Donnell (Essex), and Erin Reilly (Madison); (third row) Abigail Vitola (Clinton), Donna Park (Niantic), and Laura Day (Old Saybrook); (back row) Madelyn Beaudoin (Old Saybrook), Kyle Wisialowski (Old Saybrookk), and Helen Day (Old Saybrook); and (back) Grace Sweeney (Old Saybrook). Photo courtesy of Karen Sweeney

The Valley Shore YMCA Marlins swim team out of Westbrook recently saw several of its athletes qualify for multiple postseason swim meets, including the Connecticut Age Group Swim Championships, the Connecticut Senior Championships, and YMCA New England Swim Championships.

Two weekends ago, six Marlins’ swimmers competed at the Connecticut Age Group Swim Championships at Chelsea Piers in Stamford. This event is the state championship for swimmers aged 14 and under and features athletes with the fastest qualifying times of the season for Connecticut age group swimming. Kelsey O’Donnell (age 10) and Anna Macauley (10) of Essex competed in the 10-and-under age group, while Grace Sweeney (12) of Old Saybrook competed in the 11-12 age group. In the 13-14 age bracket, Daniel Chen (14) of Madison, Kaeleigh O’Donnell (13) of Essex, and Connie Pan (13) of Old Lyme competed on behalf of the Marlins.

The Marlins also had two swimmers qualify for the Connecticut Seniors Championships held at Wesleyan University. Garrett Smith (16) of Westbrook and Daniel Chen (14) of Madison competed for the Valley Shore squad.

Multiple Valley Shore YMCA Marlins swim team members also qualified for the YMCA New England Swim Championships that were held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Zesiger Athletic Center in Cambridge, Mass. It was a large meet that took place through the course of two weekends, and the Marlins competed against qualifying YMCA swimmers from throughout New England. The girls’ team qualifiers included Madelyn Beaudoin, Helen Day, Laura Day, and Grace Sweeney from Old Saybrook; Anna Macauley, Kaeleigh O’Donnell, and Kelsey O’Donnell of Essex; Connie Pan of Old Lyme; Donna Park and Jennifer Park of Niantic; Erin Reilly of Madison; and Cora Deming and Abigail Vitola of Clinton. The boys’ team qualifiers included Dan Chen of Madison; Lucca Giordano and Gus Van Berkel of Essex; Garrett Smith of Westbrook; Matthew Thiel of Killingworth; plus Jack Wiley and Kyle Wisialowski of Old Saybrook.

Those interested in joining the Marlins’ swim team are encouraged to contact coach Teddy Weeks at www.vsymarlins.org or by calling the Valley Shore YMCA at 860-399-9622. Tryouts for this summer’s long course season for swimmers of all ability levels who are between the ages of 6 and 18 will be held on Thursday, April 20 from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at the YMCA at 201 Spencer Plains Road in Westbrook.