Fall Fest Swim Meet - Amazing!

Swimmers Start Short Course Season at Fall Fest Meet

September 21, 2008….Twelve of Wilson County’s youth swimmers took to the water this weekend to participate in Excel Aquatics’ Fall Fest Swim Meet. It was the first Short Course (25 Yard Format) meet of the year in the Middle Tennessee region.

From Mt Juliet were Luke Blackwell, Samuel Blackwell, Madison Blackwell, Anna Zikovich, Kelsey Copeland and Alek Nochowicz. From Lebanon were Lucy Cook, Grace McCullough, Austin Barnes, Andrew Barnes, Lucas Williams, and Bradley Gillilan.

Zikovich, a 4^th Grader at Mount Juliet Elementary, took to the water in the 10&Under Girl’s 50 Yard Freestyle and 50 Yard Butterfly. “This was the first Excel meet for Anna, she came to us from the Willoughby Waves summer league team in Mt Juliet”, Excel Assistant Coach John Barnes stated.

Williams swam in the 10&Under Boy’s 100 Yard Free and 200 Yard Free. “Lucas is a student at Southside Elementary and this is his first year with us as well. I can already sense that Lucas is going to do well at the distance events as he gets older.”

Cook, a 5^th Grader at Sumner Academy, recently graduated to the Silver 1 training squad, and is now under the guidance of former Romanian National Champion Andreea Ianoli-Mitrofan. Cook swam in the 11&12 Girl’s 100 Free, 100 Individual Medley, 50 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, 200 Free, 50 Butterfly, 100 Backstroke, 50 Free. “Lucy is doing very well adjusting to the changes of moving up in training squads. Changes are being made to her stroke, and she is responding very well.”

Grace McCullough, a 2^nd Grader at Sumner Academy, participated in the 8&Under Girl’s 100 Individual Medley, 50 Free, 25 Backstroke, 100 Free, 50 Backstroke. “Grace is great, I’ve seen a tremendous improvement in her stroke techniques these past few years, and she is fun to be around.”

Samuel Blackwell, a 4^th Grader at Friendship Christian School completed the 100 Individual Medley, 50 Backstroke, 500 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 50 Free, and 200 Individual Medley. Samuel placed 3^rd in the 10&Under Boy’s category in the 500 Yard Free.

Copeland, a Senior at Mt Juliet High School swam the 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 500 Free, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Free, 100 Butterfly, and 200 Backstroke. Copeland is looking good heading into her last High School season, already having 6 High School State Qualifying time cuts.

Luke Blackwell, a Sophomore at Friendship Christian School was in the 50 Free, 1,650 Free, 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 500 Free, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Free, 200 Breaststroke, 100 Butterfly. Luke placed in the Top 8 in the Senior Boy’s category in the 1,650 Free (2^nd Place), and 500 Free (5^th Place).

Austin Barnes, a Junior at Pope John Paul II High School, warmed-up for High School season with the 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, and 500 Free. Austin dropped 12 seconds in the 200 Free, and 14 seconds in the 500 Free from his previous best times.

Madison Blackwell, an 8^th Grader at Friendship Christian School has aged up to the 13&14 Year old category, and as a result moved up to the Gold training squad with Coach Barnes. “This change in squads has meant some big changes to her training regimen to prepare her for more distance events related to the older age groups. Gone for her are the 50’s, except for the Free stroke. She has a naturally easy stroke with a great feel for the water, and will be successful at the 200 Yards and longer events as she becomes use to the change in regimens”, Coach Barnes commented.

Madison arguably swam the most difficult program of her Wilson County colleagues, completing the 50 Free, 1,650 Free, 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 500 Free, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Free, 200 Breaststroke, 100 Butterfly, and 200 Backstroke. In the 13&14 Girl’s category, Madison placed 8^th in the 1,650 Free and 8^th in the 200 Backstroke.

Nochowicz, a Junior at Pope John Paul II High School, sprinted through the 50 Free, 400 Individual Medley, 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, and 500 Free. Nochowicz achieved High School State Qualifying Times in the 100 Backstroke and 500 Free.

Andrew Barnes, a 7^th Grader at Sumner Academy dove in the water for the 100 Free, 50 Backstroke, and 50 Breaststroke. Andrew dropped 12 seconds in the 100 Free, and 5 seconds in the 50 Backstroke.

Gillilan, a Junior at Lebanon High School won the 1,650 Yard Free in a blistering 16:28.95, averaging under one minute per 100 yards for the swimming mile. Gillilan is the first boy from Lebanon ever to achieve that feat, and he now has the 5^th fastest time in the event in Excel Aquatics’ 26 year history. Gillilan also swam in the 50 Free, 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 500 Free, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Free, 200 Breaststroke, 100 Butterfly, and 200 Backstroke. In addition to winning the 1,650 Free, Gillilan also won the 500 Free in the Senior Boy’s category.

“Gillilan had drops in 10 of his 11 events, and his legal split at the 1000 yard point of the 1,650 was also a best time.”

Gillilan also competed in the swimming portion of a relay at the Music City Triathlon on Sept 14^th. He was the first out of the water, and had the fastest time when they cancelled the swimming portion due to wind remnants of Hurricane Ike that morning. Swimmers were being pulled out by rescue boats due to the rough waves. Gillilan was not affected by the rough water, and completed the 1500 meter swim just ahead of National Open Water Team Member, Ashley Whitney.

“We are proud of our Excel swimmers throughout Wilson County, and how well they did”, Barnes proclaimed. “They have been working hard these past 5 weeks preparing for Short Course season, are making changes to their strokes, and learning that they are capable of doing what the coach is expecting of them.”

“Swimming is both a physically and mentally challenging, sport. Michael Phelps makes it looks easy, the great ones always do. It’s not easy, these kids we train are a special breed, their mental toughness is just as important as their physical toughness.”

Excel Aquatics is a USA-Swimming Silver Medal Team of Excellence for 2003-2008, and has a Level Four designation in the Club Recognition Program (CRP) by USA-S, one of only 13 teams nationwide to achieve the highest ranking in the CRP. For more information about Excel Aquatics, visit www.ExcelAquatics.org.