L
Y swimmers got off to a great start at the season opening meet at the Jamerson Y the weekend of September 24-26. Blue, Gold, and Platinum swimmers concentrated on taking practice skills into the competition pool. Kelsey Childress practiced breaststroke drills all week and used her improved technique to take off 4 seconds in her 100 breast. In Holden Easterbrook’s first USA Swimming meet, his all-out effort helped him break the 1 minute barrier for the first time in his 100 free. Josh Hankey put his long course training to good use as he pushed through the last half of his 200 free and dropped 5 seconds. In Sabina Kennedy’s first USA Swimming meet, her quick hand speed, strong kick, and bilateral breathing helped her turn in an impressive 100 free. Alexis Mattingley kept a bilateral breathing pattern for her entire 500 free and dropped 17 seconds. In the 200 IM, Caeley McMillan’s smoother back technique and more powerful breast pull helped her take off 6 seconds. Michael Murray’s hard work in the long course pool this past summer practically guaranteed his 12 second drop in the 200 IM. With the fastest start in the field, Kelsey Naylor finished the meet with an impressive 3 second time drop in the 50 free. In the 100 fly, Madison O’Donnell’s good distance per stroke and strong second kick powered her to a 4 second improvement. Matthew Owen’s long course training paid off as he finished strong in the 100 fly and took off 6 seconds. Pizza pull drills and a good extension helped Jake Richardson drop 4 seconds in the 100 breast. Working on breaststroke technique in practice helped Luke Weisenstein earn a B time in the 100 breast. Joshua Bodine swam his first meet representing LY, working on his underwater cycles to help him grab a 6th place finish in the 8 & under 50 breast. Colby Childress used a fast turnover to gain handspeed and set a new team record in the 8 & under boys’ 25 backstroke, a record that had stood for 17 years. Matthew Davidson concentrated on his breathing pattern in butterfly to help him power home his 200 IM and drop 24 seconds. Jack Knight showed off his backstroke flip turn and raced to a 7 second improvement and an 8th place finish in the 8 & under boys’ 50 back, while older brother Kendall worked on a narrower kick and a longer glide to drop 23 seconds in his 100 breaststroke. Steven Mills’ bilateral breathing and big kick helped speed him to a 4 second drop in his 100 free and his first “A” time. Inspired by mystery prizes and working to keep his head steady, Brandon Naylor picked up a blue ribbon in the 8 & under boys’ 50 backstroke and garnered 4 “BB” times. Ashley Sennett did an excellent job of pulling with her bottom arm and breathing on the second stroke in freestyle, dropping 11 seconds in her 200 and 10 seconds in her 100. Our youngest swimmer in the meet was Kyle Sennett, age 6, who placed 15th in both the 8 & under 25 free and 50 free. Madison Sitton lit up the pool all weekend, concentrating on breathing every three and picked up a “BB” time in her 200 freestyle with a 28 second improvement. Chandler St. Clair shed time like a cat sheds hair, picking up 3 “B” times and dropping 12 seconds off his 100 IM. Kyleigh Tanner braved her first ever 100 butterfly and raced to a 6 second drop and a 3rd place finish in the 10 & under girls’ 200 IM. Congratulations swimmers and THANK YOU parents for all your help!