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| "Crow Canyon Sharks focus on providing a positive social environment and encourage academics." |
Pac Swim Selects 14 Crow Canyon Sharks for All-Star teams
The Sharks landed 14 swimmers on two Pacific Swimming all-star teams that will compete at Western Zones in Oregon and the North American Challenge Cup in Canada during the first week of August.
On the Zones squad that will compete against teams from several Western states: Kortney Kay, Devin Madsen, Callie Klein, Karley Troup, Forrest White, Jacob Wooldrige and Andy Wooldridge.
On the Challenge Cup squad that will compete against SoCal Swimming, Mexico and Canada: David Morgan, Olivia Alva, Kara Kohler, Taylor Munk, Sydney Saunders, Lauren Damian and Lexy Troup.
Sharks 4th At Summer Sectionals
Battling the heat and the competition, the Crow Canyon Sharks placed 4 swimmers in the Top 10 in the individual high-point competition on their way to a 4th place, among more than 60 teams, at Summer Sectionals in Bakersfield. Delize Batiza, Katelyn Brix, Taylor Nanfria and Paige Bradley earned 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th places respectively in the women's high-point competition. Paige swam to a personal best in winning the 100 meter breaststroke, an event where team-mates Shaila Yoder and Kirstyn Colonias also finished in the Top 8.
David Morgan Breaks 25-Year-Old Pac Swim Record
Over the July 4 holiday weekend, Crow Canyon Sharks David Morgan broke the Pacific Swimming 100 meter freestyle record in the boys 11-12 age group. Swimming at a meet in Fullerton, David posted a 56.65 to clear the old mark of 56.68 that stood since 1983.
Madison White Places Top 16 at US Olympic Trials; Selected for US squad forJunior World Championships
Crow Canyon Sharks Madison White, 13 years old, placed 12th in the 200 meter backstroke at the Trials in Omaha. She became one of the youngest semi-finalists as she qualified 15th in prelims. As a result of her outstanding swim, Madison will be on the US team competing at the FINA Junior World Swimming Championships in Mexico July 8 - 13. At the US Trials, Madison was joined by Sharks Paige Bradley, Kirystyn Colonias and Shaila Yoder who also competed in their first Olympic Trials.
Sharks Olympic Trials Qualifiers Take Different Paths To Omaha
Crow Canyon Sharks Paige Bradley, Kirstyn Colonias, Madison White and Shaila Yoder all share the achievement of qualifying for the US Olympic Swimming Trials that begin June 29 in Omaha, Nebraska. But each swimmer took a different path to the Trials.
OT Sharks, from left to right: Madison White, Kirstyn Colonias, Shaila Yoder, Paige Bradley
Paige Bradley almost reached this goal three years ago. "Just after my 14th birthday I missed my Olympic Trial cut [in the breaststroke] by less than 1/2 a second at Junior Nationals. It was a surprise since I wasn't training for anything near that goal but I was really excited that I qualified for Senior Nationals and was motivated for what would develop during the next year's training," Paige says.
However, the Olympic trials cut didn't come next year or years after, and Paige, who will swim the 200 meter breast at Trials, went through a slump with her breaststroke -- to the point where she thought she might not swim the stroke again.
"[Sharks co-head coaches] Dan and Ethan were so patient with me, letting me find my way, swimming other events until I wound up swimming breaststroke and starting to be fast again. The rest is history and ironically the event I would achieve the Trials cut in was the one I started with, breaststroke."
Kirstyn Colonias, who just graduated from San Ramon High School and will swim at Cal, was the first Sharks swimmer to make an Olympic Trials cut -- at the Santa Clara International Meet in 2007.
It wasn't until high school that Kirstyn made the transition from recreational league swimmer to year-around swimmer when she joined the Sharks year-around program. In a relatively short period Kirstyn took advantage of the challenging practice sets to make the leaps from Sectionals swimmer to Junior National qualifier to Olympic Trials qualifier.
The speed at which it happened surprised her. "I never thought I would be at this point in my swimming career," says Kirstyn, who will swim the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke events. "I can't wait to go to Omaha to see what I can do in my events!"
Crow Canyon Sharks Madison White is the youngest member of the foursome, adding to the accomplishment by making it as a 13-year-old. What she lacks in height and experience, she makes up for with athletic ability and desire.
Madison earned Trials cuts in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke events at the 2008 Santa Clara International Meet in May. "I'm so excited. I want to just go out there and do my best and what ever happens, happens," says Madison. It's an approach that has served Madison very well thus far and may do so for years to come. [see feature on Madison in Contra Costa Times http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_9732305?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com ]
For Shaila Yoder, the US Olympic Swimming Trials will be a dream come true. It's a dream that's the culmination of hard work, determination and timing. A swimmer can only qualify for the Trials in meters events, unlike other US national level meets where swimmers can qualify in both yards or meters.Rarely does a swimmer find a meters or long course meet on the schedule in February during the yards or short course season.
Shaila made the most of the opportunity at a February long course meet -- landing her cut in the 100 meter breaststroke. "I don't think the true feeling of accomplishment has hit me yet. But I know, on June 29 I will be overcome with so many awesome emotions!," says Shaila. "If I never achieve another accomplishment like I did by getting my OT cut, I will cherish the memory of that moment when I looked up at the clock and realized I reached one of my life time goals."
[note: Paige, Shaila, Kirstyn and Madison were recently featured on KTVU-TV.
See the Olympic Trials pool in Omaha's Qwest Center Arena]
Madsen, Delise Batiza Speed To Junior National cuts at Janet Evans Invitational
Crow Canyon Sharks Alex Madsen and Delise Batiza raced to Junior National Championship qualifying times at the Janet Evans Invitational at the USC swim center in Los Angeles. Alex earned qualifying times in the in the 50 meter freestyle and the 200 meter backstroke. Delize qualified in the 200 meter butterfly.
Madison White and Page Bradley earn Olympic Trials cuts; Sharks also add Junior and Senior National Cuts at Santa Clara International; White Breaks Records
Crow Canyon Sharks Delise Batiza, Paige Bradley, Taylor Nanfria, Alex Madsen and Madison White achieved major milestones at the Santa Clara International meet. Madison placed third in the 200 meter backstroke as she collected a qualifying time in that event and in the 100 meter backstroke for the US Olympic Trials. Madison also set new Pacific Swimming records in the women's 13-14 age group in those two events. Paige earned an Olympic Trials cut in the 200 meter breaststroke and a Senior Nationals qualifying time in the 100 meter butterfly. Delise in the 400 free and 400 IM, Taylor in the 400 IM, and Alex in the 100 freestyle produced Junior National Championship cuts.
If you know the Sharks events, heats and lanes at the Santa Clara meet you can see video of their races.
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| "We encourage all of our athletes to dream of earning swimming scholarships to college." |
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