Lee wins Gold at SES Short Course Championships

Kyle Lee earns Gold Medal at Southeastern Swimming Championships

March 20, 2005……The top swimmers from the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Tennessee converged on Nashville this past weekend for the annual Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships. By taking home a Gold Medal, 17 year old Hendersonville resident Kyle Lee made a loud statement that swimming was alive and well in Sumner County. Joining Lee at the Short Course Championships from the Excel Aquatics/Sumner County squad were Brittany Zobl, Nikki Fulps, Hannah Ray, Bryce Anderson, Kathryn George, Haley George, Katie Mize, Mary Catherine Binkley, and Chelsa Messinger.

Lee, participating in the Boy’s 17&Older category took home a SES Championship in the 1,000 Yard Freestyle, turning in a 9:54.01. Lee also placed in the 200 Yard Individual Medley (8^th Place), 500 Free (6^th Place), and the 200 Yard Breaststroke (3^rd Place). “Kyle cut significant times in 3 of his 4 events, and has done great this Short Course season as a whole. As he heads into his Senior year of High School he’s set the foundation for further improvements.” Assistant Coach John Barnes noted. “He’s a true two-sport athlete. He is one of the top Cross-County runners in Middle Tennessee, and is one of the top Swimmers in the Tennessee/Alabama area.”

Messinger placed in the Top 16 in 5 of her 6 17&Older events during the meet, despite pitching 6 games during the weekend for her High School Softball Team. “Chelsa pitched on Thursday night, swam Friday morning, pitched Friday afternoon, swam Saturday morning, pitched Saturday afternoon, and swam Sundary morning.” Coach Barnes noted. “I could tell that she was exhausted, but she gutted it out and still gave it all she had. I’m proud of that effort, not too many people now a days are mentally strong enough to do that.”

Among other Top 16 Finishers in the meet from Excel/Sumner County was Katie Mize placing 4^th in the 15&16 Girls 200 Yard Butterfly, 13^th in the 400 Yard Individual Medley, and 10^th in the 200 Yard Individual Medley. Zobl placed 10^th in the 11&12 Girls 100 Yard Backstroke. Fulps placed 12^th in the 11&12 Girl’s 50 Yard Breaststroke. Kathryn George placed 13^th in the 11&12 Girl’s 200 Yard Individual Medley, and 10^th in the 100 Yard Butterfly. Binkley placed 14^th in the 17&Older Girl’s 500 Yard Freestyle.

“As coaches we’re proud of all of these kids, all of them have worked hard this season to get to this Championship meet.” Coach Barnes stated. “Bryce and Haley dropped times in their events, and Hannah was participating in her first SES Championship meet. Hannah swam well in her individual event and then had a remarkable performance in her relay leg. All of our kids from Hendersonville and Gallatin have a lot of heart and stepped up when asked to.”

Excel Aquatics will be offering a Spring Tune Up for swimmers from the local Summer League swim teams located in Sumner County. Dates will be from April 5^th until May 7^th. Visit www.ExcelAquatics.org for more information or contact your local summer swim club. Excel Aquatics and Sumner Regional Health Systems will be hosting the annual Tennessee School for the Blind Swim Meet on April 9^th at the Gallatin Civic Center.

County Residents compete at Districts Meet

Paige Scheriger wins 8&Under Championships

March 14, 2005……The Southeastern Swimming Districts and 8 & Under Championships were held this past weekend in Memphis TN. For those older than 9, it was a chance to compete one final time to obtain qualifying times for the upcoming Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships. For those 8 and younger, it was their last meet of the season, their Championships. Swimmers from Nashville and Memphis and all parts in between converged at the aquatics facility at the University of Memphis to race and find out who was the best 8&Under swimmer in Middle and West Tennessee.

Excel Aquatics, led by Indian Lake Elementary Third Grader Paige Scheriger, won the 8 & Under Girl’s Team Championship. Scheriger won the coveted High-Point Trophy for the Championships, dominating all 8 of her individual events, and easily distancing herself from the High-Point runner-up. Scheriger also helped the Excel Aquatics relay team to a 3^rd Place finish in the 100 Yard Freestyle Relay, and a 1^st Place finish in the 100 Yard Medley Relay. To add icing to the cake, Paige was able to achieve this in front of 9 family members who had flown or driven in from San Francisco, CA; Centralia IL, and Hendersonville to celebrate Paige and her brother Todd’s accomplishments in swimming this year.

Scheriger, who ages up to the 9&10 year old category on Saturday the 19^th, ends the season holding two Excel Team Records in the 25 Breast and 50 Breast.

Representing Excel Aquatics in the concurrently held Districts Meet were Eric Duke, Brittany Henderson, Hannah Ray, Todd Scheriger, and Brittany Zobl.

Duke wrapped up his Short Course career for Excel Aquatics in good fashion, dropping over a second in the 50 Free, finishing 4^th in the Senior Boy’s 100 Yard Butterfly, and winning the Senior Boy’s 100 Yard Breaststroke in his last event of the meet. Henderson, swimming in the 13&14 Girls Category, dropped times in 4 of her 6 events, and placed 2^nd in the 1650 Yard Freestyle.

Todd Scheriger, a 10 year old in the 5^th Grade at Indian Lake Elementary, took home a 7^th Place in the Boy’s 10&Under 200 Yard Freestyle and a 3^rd Place in the 50 Yard Butterfly. Hannah Ray, competing in the Girl’s 10&Under events, took home a 2^nd Place in the 200 Yard Freestyle, 4^th in the 100 Yard Breaststroke, and a 6^th Place in the 50 Yard Backstroke. Ray had already qualified for the SES Short Course Championships in the 50 Yard Freestyle.

Brittany Zobl, a 11 year old 5^th Grader from Sumner Academy, dropped nearly two seconds in both the 11&12 Girl’s 200 Yard Freestyle, and the 100 Yard Breaststroke. Zobl also finished 5^th in the 50 Yard Freestyle, 6^th in the 50 Yard Breaststroke, and 8^th in the 100 Yard Individual Medley. Zobl has already achieved SES Short Course qualifying times in the 50 Yard Backstroke, and 100 Yard Backstroke.

The next meet for Excel Aquatics is the Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships in Nashville, March 17-20^th. Sumner County residents representing Excel Aquatics at the meet are Bryce Anderson, Mary Catherine Binkley, Nikki Fulps, Haley George, Kathryn George, Kyle Lee, Chelsa Messinger, Katie Mize, Hannah Ray, and Brittany Zobl. “The key here is that we are balanced among the age groups and are not top heavy. Half of our swimmers attending are 12 or younger. That’s a nice strong base of swimmers for the future we are developing to represent Sumner County for years to come”, Assistant Coach John Barnes proclaimed. “We have grown substantially this year as a team, and have had several new qualifiers for the Championships. Kudos to Coach Andreea Mitrofan and Coach AJ Miley for their accomplishments this Short Course Season.”

Baylor Swim Meet Results

Brittany Zobl and Kyle Lee Excel In Chattanooga Swim Meet

January 15, 2005……15 members of Excel Aquatics who train in Gallatin traveled to Chattanooga for the recent Baylor Swim Club Invitational, Jan 7-9^th. Making the trip from amongst those who live in Hendersonville and Gallatin were Bryce Anderson, Mary Catherine Binkley, Eric Duke, Nathan Fulps, Nikki Fulps, Kathryn George, Kyle Lee, Chelsa Messinger, Katie Mize, and Brittany Zobl.

“At our younger level, both of the Fulps, George, Zobl, and Anderson train with Coach Andreea Ianoli-Mitrofan. They are doing phenomenal in their development. Coach Andreea was a Romanian Swimming National Champion in the 800 Free, 400 IM, and 200 Breaststroke. Her college thesis was written on the training of the Female Swimmer in the 800 Meter Freestyle. She is quickly becoming the new Gold Standard of coaching Sumner County swimmers in the 11 to 14 year old age groups.” Excel Assistant Coach John Barnes announced.

Brittany Zobl, a 11 year old Sumner Academy student, dropped times in all 8 of her individual events. Notable drops occurred in the 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 100 IM and 50 Butterfly. “Brittany, and the rest of her training squad, had great time drops. She is just off her Southeastern Qualifying times in the Backstroke events, and should get those soon if she keeps listening and learning from Coach Andreea.” Barnes stated.

Kyle Lee, a Junior at Hendersonville High School, had time drops in 6 of his 8 events. Lee took first place in the 200 IM, second in the 200 Backstroke, 200 Free, and 200 Breaststroke; third in the 100 Breaststroke, 100 Free, and fourth in the 200 Butterfly. “This was a great meet for Kyle, he’s been training well in practice, setting the pace for the rest of his squad. Just 8 days before this meet he completed an 11,000 yard workout, and recently started a dryland workout program.” Barnes noted. “He’s not rested, and yet he turned in best times in many events, that’s hard to do at his level of intense training.”

Other swimmers with notable time drops were Nikki Fulps (200 Free, 2:31.80, dropping 14.09 seconds); Nathan Fulps (50 Free, 0:29.79, dropping 1.06 seconds); Kathryn George (200 IM, 2:28.63, dropping 3.87 seconds); Bryce Anderson (50 Back, 100 Fly, 200 Free, and 100 Back with more than 3.8 seconds drop in each); and Eric Duke (100 Back, 1:08.21, dropping 0.94 seconds).

“All of our kids swam well, some of the older kids were off a bit from their personal bests, and that is too be expected with where we are at in the training cycle we are following. The older ones are looking forward to the State High School Meet and USA Swimming Sectionals, and will be tapered for that. Overall our older girls, Chelsa Messinger, Katie Mize, and Mary Catherine Binkley are progressing very well with their training.”

Sumner County Site Coordinator Named

Excel Aquatics names Coach Barnes as Gallatin Site Coordinator

August 8, 2004……Excel Aquatics, a year-round USA Swimming Silver Medal Team based in Gallatin, Brentwood, and LaVergne has named John Barnes as their Gallatin Site Coordinator. Coach Barnes joined the coaching staff of Excel Aquatics in the Spring of 2004, and began assisting with their Gold and Xtreme groups in Gallatin. By assuming the duties as Site Coordinator at Excel-Gallatin, Barnes will be responsible for leading the local coaching staff in the planning and implementation of the training program of Excel swimmers across all skill levels, as well as handling the multiple other swimming related issues that arise on a daily basis. He will report directly to Excel Head Coach Mark Walker who is based in Brentwood.

Coach Walker noted that “I’m proud to announce that Coach Barnes will be leading our Gallatin training location. John is the right person at the right time for this newly created position within our Gallatin training squad. Since he has been with us he has made a positive impact not only on the swimmers in his group, but with the parents as well. He brings a lot of energy to the team on and off the deck. We are close to finalizing the rest of the coaching staff in Gallatin which we will be announcing soon. I know that Sumner County is going to be pleased with of the quality of the coaching staff we are assembling. There is going to be a lot of fresh ideas and excitement on deck this coming season with Excel Aquatics in Sumner County.”

· Excel Aquatics is a 2003 & 2004 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club with several training squads based in Gallatin. For more information on Excel Aquatics, visit www.excelaquatics.org