Placement Trial Information

Excel Aquatics is Searching for New Swimmers to Train with Sumner County Championship Swimmers!

July 26, 2005……Excel Aquatics is pleased to announce that they will be having an Open Tryout and Placement Trials for new swimmers at 5:00pm on August 8^th, at the Gallatin Civic Center; and then again for new and returning swimmers at 5:00pm on August 22^nd, at the Cages Bend Swim Club. Prospective swimmers will have two free weeks of training to decide if Excel is a good fit for them.

Excel Aquatics is a non-profit year round USA Swimming Club that had more Sumner County residents qualifying for the Southeastern Swimming Championships this year than any other club in the region. Most recently Kyle Lee, Chelsa Messinger, Katie Mize, Haley George, Kathryn George, Brittany Zobl, and Nikki Fulps from Sumner County qualified and swam in the Southeastern Long Course Championships.

For complete times and duration of Excel’s Tryouts/Placement Trials, as well as more information on Year Round swimming opportunities for Sumner County youth, visit www.ExcelAquatics.org.

Sumner County Excels at LC Championships

Sumner County Excellence At Long Course Swim Meet

July 25, 2005…..For local swimmers, the Long Course Swimming Season wrapped up this past weekend with the Southeastern Swimming Long Course Championship Meet held in Nashville TN. Continuing a legacy of excellence from Sumner County residents swimming for Excel Aquatics, Chelsa Messinger, Kyle Lee, Katie Mize, Haley George, Kathryn George, Brittany Zobl, and Nikki Fulps competed against 722 other swimmers from 41 teams representing 3 different states. The Long Course Championships is a meet in which qualifying times must be met during the season in order to for the swimmers to step up and compete against the best from other teams.

Messinger, a rising Senior at Gallatin High School, swam in 5 events, setting Personal Best Times in 4 of the events. She placed in the Senior Girl’s Top 24 in the 100 Meter Backstroke (10^th), 200 Meter Backstroke (19^th), and the 100 Meter Butterfly(21^st). “Chelsa had a terrific meet, once she swam to a best time in her first event, we knew that she would have a great meet. She’s worked hard since last summer to prepare for this summer, and it has really paid off.” Excel Assistant Coach John Barnes commented.

Mize, a rising Sophomore at JPII High School, swam in 7 events and obtained best times in 4 of them. Mize, competing in the Senior Girl’s category, placed in the Top 24 in 6 of the 7 events: 400 Meter Individual Medley (4^th), 200 Meter Butterfly (8^th), 1500 Meter Freestyle (14^th), 200 Individual Medley (14^th), 200 Meter Breaststroke (16^th), and the 400 Meter Freestyle (19^th). “Katie really had some great time drops in the 200 Breaststroke, the 400 IM, and the 400 Free. It shows what happens in those longer events where you do the little things right and it all comes together.” Barnes stated.

Lee, a rising Senior at Hendersonville High, turned in a mind-numbing performance which showed why the calls, letters, and visits to the pool have been increasing this month from college swim coaches. Lee placed in all 7 of his individual events he swam, and turned in best times in all 7 of them. He also turned in another best time as the lead off swimmer for the 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay (lead off legs are eligible as a recordable time), for a total of 8 events with best times. Lee, swimming in the Senior Boy’s category, placed in the Top 16 in all his events: 800 Meter Freestyle (4^th), 200 Meter Freestyle (15^th), 100 Breaststroke (6^th), 400 Meter Individual Medley (4^th), 200 Meter Individual Medley (6^th), 400 Meter Freestyle (5^th), and the 200 Meter Breaststroke (6^th). “Kyle was the talk of the meet, between prelims and finals, timed finals, and his lead off leg on the relay, he had 14 different swims over the past 4 days. Of those 14 swims, he lowered his previous time 13 different times. That’s nearly unheard of in a meet like this.” Barnes pointed out. “Kyle’s work ethic this past year has been unsurpassed, and a meet like this is the reward. We’ve been working the strategy part of the racing this past year as well, and he is swimming a lot smarter now, and that is a sign of his maturity.”

Haley and Kathryn George competed in the 13&14 Girl's Category. Haley placed 37^th in the 100 Meter Breaststroke, while Kathryn placed 13^th in the 200 Meter Butterfly and 29^th in the 100 Meter Butterfly. Zobl and Fulps competed in the 11&12 Girl’s category. Zobl placed 8^th in the 50 Meter Backstroke, and 18^th in the 100 Meter Backstroke. Fulps placed 18^th in the 100 Meter Breastroke, 22^nd in the 50 Meter Breaststroke, 23^rd in the 50 Meter Fly, and 28^th in the 100 Meter Fly. “Both Brittany and Nikki are on the younger side of their age group, and vast majority of the girls that beat them were a year older, and a good bit stronger.” Barnes said. “If they keep listening to their coaches, practicing like they did this year, and keep their smiles going, then next year when they are on the top side of the age group bracket they should place even higher.”

Excel Aquatics will be offering a Placement Trials for new and interested swimmers starting August 8^th at the Gallatin Civic Center. Start time is 5:00pm. Swimmers should be able to complete one length of the pool unassisted. A second Placement Trial will be held at the Cages Bend Swim Club on August 22^nd at 5:00pm. Visit www.ExcelAquatics.org for more information.