Hello Bluefins Family,

Just a couple of reminders, then dual meet results:

• Madison Champ Deadline: Wednesday, 1/17, 5:00 pm - Last Regular Season Meet.
• Post-season fees to attend practices and meets after Madison Champs will be in upcoming email.
• CHMC entries are open.
• District entries will open as soon as YMCA of PA sends me the event file.
• We are in the EAST Districts this year at the NL Aquatic Center in Voorhees, NJ.
• We have practice today, Monday, 1/15. 
• Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! 

Both the boys and girls beat Poconos YMCA on Saturday, which makes us the Madison Division Team Champs. :)

The division championship meet on Feb. 3rd & 4th is to determine individual & relay champions in each event. Although team scores are kept, it's more for bragging rights, as the league plaques go to the dual meet full team champs and age group team champs.

Team Spirit: For consistent and enthusiastic cheering, and/or showing support for their teammates beyond cheering too.

• Alexa Yatsenko, Katherine Torrealba-Rodriguez, Julian Vasquez, Leo Alfaro

Sportsmanship: For demonstrating honor, fairness, and appreciation towards competitors. It could be from shaking hands, to positive conversations overheard by coaches between athletes, to positive attitudes/actions expressed after racing, that earns this award.

• Viseth Taylor, Ian Barrey, Amber Olexa, Francesca Berger

Excellence

Jelena Watts - Excellent backstroke start, with a quick reaction time, tight streamline, fast underwater fly kick and strong hip undulation, leading to an extended breakout, and a large lead.

Tristen Vasquez - In the 50 Freestyle, it was close the whole way, but Tristen was determined! From the flags in, he took no breaths, focused on the wall, churned out his fast kicks, outreached with his shoulder & arm on the long stretch, touched the wall center mass, right under the waterline, and won by 2 tenths of a second, photo finish. That's how you end a race! I doing so, he also dropped more than 2 seconds and got a personal best time. :)

Ben Schroeck: Three swims, three best times, three District qualifying times, and two 3rd places. That's a lot of 3s, Ben; it must've been your lucky number that day. :) From those swims, he helped the 11/12 boys win another upset in their age group. As with Bethlehem previously, on paper the Poconos 11/12 boys should have beaten us. However, our guys, with hard work, tenacity, and a little luck during the meet, have kept finding ways to win. :) 

Carina Naab: Over-all, Carina had a very good meet. Improved dives, good finishes, dropped 2 seconds in the 25 Back for a personal best time, being a good sport by shaking hands with her opponents, cheering for her teammates demonstrating her team spirit, and always with a smile and positive attitude. If there was a checklist of what we hope every swimmer does each meet, Carina checked off all the boxes on Saturday. :)

• Results and top times reports with qualifying designators are attached.

See you on deck,

Coach Drake