YMCA swim team dives into winter season

The Euclid/Hillcrest YMCA “Hurricanes” swim team kicked off its 2011-2012 winter campaign with a promising performance in the first meet of the season at the Lake Anna Y Oct. 22.

The team, under the tutelage of Euclid Y aquatics director John Graves, comprises swimmers from both the Euclid and Hillcrest YMCAs. Some 15 youngsters made the trip to Lake Anna for a three-team swim meet.

Alex Neyman won three individual events to pace the Hurricanes. Neyman, whose swim times are approaching the criteria required to qualify for the “zone level” Midwest regional event at the end of the season, took firsts in the 50-yard butterfly, 100 freestyle, and 100-yard individual medley for boys in the 11-12-year-old division.

Also getting off to an impressive start to the fall/winter season was Salvion Neal, a member of the Euclid contingent, who earned first-place honors in the 50 butterfly, 100 IM, and 50 freestyle for boys 9-10.

 “I think it was a good first meet,” said Graves. “We saw a lot of improvement from the kids who swam on the team last year.”

Among the Euclid/Hillcrest swimmers who earned first-place ribbons at Lake Anna were: Daniel Csoltko in the 50 backstroke for boys 9-10; Audrey Zorman in the 25 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, and 25 butterfly for girls 8-under; and Mark Csoltko in the 100 backstroke for boys 13-14.

Also competing for the Hurricanes were: Thomas Jennings-Sanders, Sydney Hubbard, Isabelle Lashley, Terrany Warren, Dominique Williams, Regan Sands-Priest, and Jordan Chandler.

The next swim meet is scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 6 at the Madison YMCA. After that, the young aquanauts will compete Nov. 19 at the Louisville Y, on Dec. 3 against swimmers from the Southeast Y and Meyers Lake Y at a site to be determined, and on Dec. 17 against Orrville in the Bedford High School pool.

John Sheridan

Retired journalist. From 1963 to 1972, wrote for and edited the Euclid News-Journal, predecessor to the Sun-Journal. From 1972 to 2000, I was a writer and editor for Industry Week magazine. Also have worked for the Plain Dealer as a part-time sportswriter, covering high school sports. And I was a contributor to the previous Euclid Observer. I have lived in Euclid for almost my entire life. I am a graduate of St. Joseph High School and John Carroll University.

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Volume 2, Issue 9, Posted 5:00 PM, 12.31.2011