Members of the Nanaimo White Rapids swim club were busy again this past year, training and competing during the spring and summer swim season.
Among other team accomplishments this year, the club won the Island Championships, bringing home the Ray Newman Team Aggregate Trophy. In do so, a total of 71 club members qualified to take part at provincials. Then, at the B.C. Summer Swimming Association provincial championships held in Victoria, the club finished second overall with numerous gold-medal performances.
Many top athletes from the club were recognized with year-end awards recently at the White Rapids’ annual general meeting, as highlights from the season were celebrated. My thanks to club secretary Diane McGonigle for passing along details…
Among those honoured at the AGM, Morgan Burke and Nicholas Morrison were named as the top novice swimmers of the year. Good sportsmanship awards were presented to Ella Hudon and Jack Mace from the junior division. From the senior girls’ division, Katrina Rivers received a good sportsmanship award, with Andrew MacLeod the recipient from senior boys.
Best Times Towel awards, honouring swimmers who achieved personal best times, were given to Danielle Barberie, Finn Bodnar, Cadence Jones, Ashley King, Jack La Roche, Quinn Todd, John Kirkhope, Erin O’Sullivan, Hamish McMillan and Cam Laturnus.
Chosen as most improved swimmers from Div. 1 were Kathryn Say and Theo Pettit. From Div. 2, most improved were Jasmine Schellinck and John Kirkhope. Abby Pallard and Duncan Boychuk were most improved in Div. 3. Winning as most improved in Div. 4 was Ashley King. In Div. 5, the most improved were Erin O’Sullivan and Jackson Say. Hamish MacMillan was most improved in Div. 6, Aiden Jeffries was most improved in Cat. O and Ry Della Rosa was picked as the most improved water polo player.
Outstanding female swimmers from their respective competitive divisions were Danielle Barberie from Div. 1, Kayley Morch from Div. 3, Ava Johnson from Div. 4 and Delaney O’Toole from Div. 5.
For the boys, outstanding swimmers were Dylan Barberie of Div. 2, Stewart Stephen and Cam Laturnus of Div. 3, Tayden De Pol of Div. 4, Quinn Todd of Div. 5 and Steven Moore of Div. 6-8.
Cadence Jones was chosen as the club’s outstanding swimmer for junior girls. For junior boys, the outstanding swimmer was Peter Morch. Sarah Kirkhope was named as the outstanding swimmer among senior girls, while outstanding swimmer for senior boys was Riley Prout-Holm.
The Marge Dudley Award is named in memory of the swim club’s first president. It is a major honour that is awarded to a White Rapids swimmer who shows dedication to the sport, displays good sportsmanship and good citizenship, demonstrates team spirit and contributes to club activities. This year’s winner was Nyree McGonigle.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship.
