SSMAC, Dolphins help region to meet title

A regional all-star team bolstered by members of the Sault Ste. Marie Aquatic Club and Soo Y Dolphins beat teams from Laurentian University and the University of Waterloo by more than 100 points apiece over the weekend in a three-team meet in Sudbury.

Twelve local swimmers joined 24 others as part of the North Eastern Ontario Region (NEOR) squad.

The Sault swimmers included: Becky Day, Cait Tomlinson, Wendy Oleskiw, Jeff Byrne, Jeff Park, Peter Olinger, Alex Bonne, and Josh Lawrence from SSMAC along with Brent Caverly, Vanessa Chaimbrone, Taylor Corelli and Sarah Ingram from the Dolphins.

“Our kids swam exceptionally well, particularly for this time of year,” says SSMAC senior coach Bill Park, who served as head coach for the NEOR team. “Our swimmers were up against competitors as many as 10 years their senior, and they came out on top. This was an all-round great experience for the region.”

Park says this team was one of the best he’s coached because members pulled together, supported one another and worked as one.

“They were not performing as individuals. Everyone relied on one another. This was not a case where there were one or two stars. All swimmers pulled their weight.”

Team members were chosen based on the World Performance Scoring System. The event saw each swimmer compete in five events. There were also relays.

“I felt they could win this meet,” says Park. “The swimmers had to see what they were up against first.”

Next weekend is SSMAC’s first action as a team this season. The club travels to the Sudbury Laurentian Pool for a double-ended (pre-provincial and developmental) meet with a 24-swimmer roster, mostly less-experienced swimmers.

Park is excited about how these young swimmers will fare and is encouraged about the future of the club as a whole. The bulk of club members still have many seasons to compete. Including the SSMAC-A-R00 pre-competitive group, SSMAC now has 98 swimmers registered.

Park also credits colleagues on the team’s new coaching staff Nancy Day, Alex Bonne, Suzie McGuire, and Toby Beynon for an anticipated positive and successful year. “These individuals bring a lot of experience, expertise and enthusiasm to the club,” he says.

SSMAC will host its own major club meet, the Joey Calzones Invitational, November 11-13 at the John Rhodes Community Pool. Up to 300 swimmers from across the region as well as the Upper Peninsula will compete in the three-day event.

(Submitted by David Olinger)