News Summary
The Watertown Boys & Girls Club Wavemakers swim team has successfully showcased their swimming prowess at the national meet in St. Petersburg, Florida. With 17 swimmers competing, the team achieved remarkable results, including a historic second-place finish for Team New England. All participants reached the finals in their events, highlighting the dedication and talent of these young athletes, and the event was supported by the Watertown community, reflecting their commitment to nurturing local talent.
Watertown – The Watertown Boys & Girls Club Wavemakers swim team showcased their skills at the Boys & Girls Club National Swim Meet in St. Petersburg, Florida, from April 11-13. This annual competition has seen the Watertown team represent their community since 2012, and this year, a group of 17 swimmers aged 10 to 17 participated under the guidance of Head Coach Erin Hickey and assistant coaches Jenn Lawlor and Dylan Hickey.
Team New England, which included contributions from the Wavemakers, achieved a notable second place at the national meet, marking a significant accomplishment within the New England-Northeast Aquatics Partnership (NENEAPC) league. This year’s performance was recognized as the best in the league’s history, highlighting the dedication and talent of the swimmers.
To prepare for the competition, the team committed to an intensive training regimen, practicing five days a week and logging over 1,400 miles together between February and April. In addition to swimming, the athletes participated in “dryland” strength training sessions twice a week to bolster their conditioning leading up to the event.
The Nationals meet unfolded over three days, beginning with distance events on Friday and continuing throughout the weekend. Each swimmer was required to meet specific qualifying times for distance events that spanned over 500 yards, and all events were subject to timed finals.
One of the most impressive outcomes of the meet was that, for the first time, all participating swimmers from Watertown reached the finals in their respective events. The first day proved successful for nine swimmers in distance events, with Carter Kim (10), Vahagn Sargysyan (11), and Mia Viera (10) all finishing within the top 10 of their age groups. Jad Karmo (12) notably improved his performance, dropping 53 seconds from his personal best in the 500-yard event.
Throughout the weekend, athletes in the 12 and under category demonstrated remarkable talent, with Carter, Vahagn, Mia, and Anderson Kim (11) reaching finals in every event they contested. Vahagn emerged as Team New England’s top point scorer, achieving a sixth-place finish in his age group. Anderson Kim was recognized as the recipient of the WBGC’s inaugural Niamh Murphy Scholarship Award, while he also secured ninth place in the 100 butterfly. Newcomer Paige Coleman (10) made her mark by finishing 11th in both the 50 and 100-yard butterfly events, while Jason Beaudry (11) made a significant leap in the 200 freestyle, dropping over 10 seconds from his previous best.
Other strong performances included Wesley Allen (12), who reached the finals in multiple events, and Emma Clifford (12) and Noor Katab (12), both of whom dropped 10 seconds in the finals of the 200-yard freestyle.
In the 13 and over category, team captains Cameron Burke (16), Marissa Cabral (16), Matteo Lucente (17), and Sabina von Goeler (15) exhibited commendable sportsmanship and resilience. Burke reached the finals in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke, while Matteo completed the mile event, finishing just over 21 minutes and placing 12th in the 200-yard backstroke final. Marissa achieved personal bests in each of her events and qualified for the finals in the 200-yard breaststroke for the first time. Sabina participated in the 15-18 age group and contributed to the team’s success by placing 8th in the 200-yard freestyle relay, while Matthew Viera (13) and Samara Beaudry (14) also reached finals in their respective events, showcasing consistent improvements.
The coaching staff expressed immense pride in the swimmers for their hard work, achievements, and positive attitudes throughout the event. The team’s trip to the National Swim Meet was made possible due to the generous support and donations from the Watertown community. This event not only highlighted the competitive prowess of the Wavemakers but also emphasized community commitment in fostering young talent in competitive swimming.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- Watertown News
- Wikipedia: Swimming (sport)
- AOL News
- Google Search: Watertown swimming
- WWNY TV
- Google Scholar: Competitive swimming
- Public Opinion
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Swimming
- MyKXLG
