Paducah Bazooka O f f icia l Te a m New s le t te r of the Pa duca h S w im Te a m

PST Championship Season Recap Paducah Swim Team coaches and swimmers spent the entire short course season preparing for the series of championship swim meets that bring the USA Swimming short course season to its conclusion. The championship season kicked off in mid-February with the KHSAA Region 1 (Owensboro, KY) and State High School championships (Louisville, KY). It continued with the Sectional Championships (Plantation, FL), and concluded with the KY Swimming Short Course State Championships (Louisville & Lexington, KY). PST Swimmers represented all three area high schools at the KHSAA Region 1 and KHSAA State Championship meets. Bradley Baker (MCHS), Katherine Culbertson (STM), Tyler Fell (MCHS), Logan Oatman (PT), Kelsey Stevens (MCHS), and Taylor Thompson (PT) each qualified to swim individual events at the KHSAA state meet. Oatman scored in both of his events (7th in

100 Back, 14th in 200 Free) in team record times of 52.02 and 1:45.87. He was also named the recipient of the Mark Lynn Scholarship at the state meet and the Sportsman-

ship award at the Region 1 Meet. Thompson scored in the 50 Free at the state meet for the 2nd year in a row (13th). Also of note: David Banister, Oliver Fell, Kennedy Kirks, Ian Pitt, and Jack Pitt earned relay spots at the state meet representing MCHS. PST swimmers Bradley Baker, Tyler Fell, Logan Oatman, and Kelsey Stevens attended the Speedo Southern Sectional Championship in Plantation, FL. The senior meet was conducted in the long course meter format and featured some of the top swimmers

in South Florida, with a number of out-of-state and international teams in attendance. Baker posted 100% best times, and qualified for finals in the 400 IM and 100 Breast in team record time. He also set team records in the 800 Free, 1500 Free, and 200 Fly. Oatman posted 100% best times and qualified for finals and set team records in all three of his events (200 Free, 100 Back, 200 Back). His times in the 100 Back (59.99) and 200 Back (2:10.54) qualified him for the prestigious USA Swimming Scholastic AllAmerican honor awarded annually to students who excel both in the water and in the classroom. Also of note: Tyler Fell scored in the 800 Free and 1500 Free and Kelsey Stevens posted 100% best times! The team focus meet this season was the KY Swimming Short Course State Championship meet. This annual competition brings together the best age group

March-May 2014 Volume 2, issue 4

Inside this issue: Championship Season Recap

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OMM Last Chance Meet Recap

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NSC Cinco de Mayo Invite Recap

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Practice Attendance Medalists

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Championship Season Recap (cont.) swimmers in KY Swimming over two weekends of competition. PST scored 310 points to finish 15th in the combined team standings.

Baker continued his recent assault on the team records with new records in the 1000 Free, 400 IM, 100 Breast, and 200 Breast. He posted best times in 7 out of 9 events and scored in the 400 IM (16th), 1000 Free (9th), and the 1650 Free (8th). Oatman scored in the 200 Free, 200 Back, and finished the meet with a top 8 finish in the 100 Back.

Caleb Fell earned PST swimmer of the meet honors for his overall performance at the meet. Fell was the team’s top individual scorer with 56 points. He posted 100% best times and scored in 7 out of 8 events, including Championship relay action top 8 finishes in the 500 always plays a vital role in team Free, 100 Breast, and 200 performance and PST took a Free. Coach Jason had this step forward on that front this to say about Caleb’s season season. PST scored in 8 relay Caleb Fell ending performance, events at the meet including “Caleb entered this season PST Swimmer of the the following: determined to improve and Meet at KY Champs be a force at the championship meet. His effort level on a daily 11-12 Boys 200 Free Relay—13th basis was consistently high and he only (Johnson, Chappell, Peck, Fell) missed one practice all season. His success this season was no accident and 11-12 Boys 200 Medley Relay—13th well-deserved!” (Chappell, Johnson, Fell, Peck) Ian Pitt scored 50 points in the 13-14 boys division with scoring efforts in 7 out of 9 events. He finished as high as 3rd (1650 Free) and 4th (1000 Free) with best times in 6 out of 9 events. Justin Baker tallied 33 points in the 1314 Boys division with scoring swims in the 1000 Free (5th), 1650 Free (7th), and 200 Fly (10th). The Open girls were led by Tyler Fell and Kelsey Stevens. Fell scored in the 500 Free (16th), 1000 Free (6th), and 1650 Free (7th). Stevens saved her best effort of the meet for Sunday’s 1650 Free, posting a lifetime best of 18:32.87 in what was deemed the PST swim of the meet by Coach Jason for the beautiful pacing and overall execution of the race strategy. Bradley Baker and Logan Oatman were responsible for the individual scoring efforts in the Open boys division.

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The championship season always seems to bring the best out of a team and this season was no different. PST increased our number of qualifiers, number of individual scorers, number of scoring relays, and total number of points scored from last season. These are all strong indications that the team is moving the right direction from a competitive standpoint. The significant increase in 12&under individual qualifiers was especially encouraging as they represent the core that will compete together at this level for many years to come.

The conclusion of the PST championship season is a wonderful time to recognize and thank Bradley Baker, Katherine Culbertson, Makenzie Garland, and Logan Oatman for their leadership and many years as PST teammates. The two boys are going to continue their swimming careers this summer with PST and at the collegiate level when they attend Centre College in Danville, KY next fall. Katherine (Western Kentucky University) and Makenzie Open Girls 400 Free Relay—14th (University of Louisville) are both at(Stevens, Garland, Fell, Culbertson) tending college next fall but have retired from competiOpen Girls 200 tive swimming. We Free Relay—9th wish you all the best (Stevens, Garas you move to the land, Fell, Culnext level of your bertson) education and career pursuits. We would Open Boys 400 also like to thank the Free Relay—11th parents of these four (Thompson, J. swimmers for their Pitt, Oatman, continued support of Baker) Ian Pitt and Justin Baker (center) the team over the on the Medal Podium for the years. We would like Open Boys 400 13-14 Boys 1000 Free to offer special Medley Relay— thanks to David Cul11th (Oatman, Baker, Banister, Thompson) bertson for his many years of service as a USA official. Finally, we would like to thank Kim Oatman for his many years Open Boys 200 Free Relay—8th of service at various capacities of leader(Oatman, Baker, J. Pitt, Thompson) ship including serving as our Board President and lead USA official. You Open Boys 200 Medley Relay—15th will all certainly be missed! (Ferguson, I. Pitt, Baker, Banister)

Paducah Bazooka

OMM Last Chance Meet Recap Twenty-Eight PST swimmers made the trek to Owensboro, KY on the weekend of March 8-9, 2014. This was the final opportunity to qualify for the Kentucky Swimming Short Course State Championships. Four PST swimmers earned first time qualifying times for the championship meet. Evan Aydt, Owen Aydt, and Leon dos Remedios each qualified for one championship event in the 9-10 boys division. This accomplishment also allowed PST to enter a 9-10 boys relay into the championship meet. Congratulations to Evan (100 Breast), Owen (50 Breast), and Leon (100 Fly) for taking the leap to the championship meet! Ethan Johnson qualified for KY Champs in the 11-12 boys 50 Breast. Johnson was on the verge of qualifying in January when an unexpected appendix removal stalled his progress. Johnson healed up quickly and got back in the water with

grats to Ethan for persevering and making it onto the championship roster this season! Katherine Culbertson added a championship qualifying swim in the Open girls 100 Fly with a solid swim of 1:03.65, a personal best.

Luther Hawes, Leon dos Remedios, Evan Aydt, and Owen Aydt at the OMM Last Chance Meet

enough time to get back in contention for qualification. His efforts also allowed for PST to enter a championship relay in the 11-12 boys division. Con-

Silver group swimmer of the meet honors were awarded to McCall Hutcheson and Ethan Johnson. Johnson added best times in 9 out of 10 events to his qualifying time mentioned above. Hutcheson raced hard and posted multiple best times at the meet, highlighted by substantial drops in the 200 Free and 100 Back. Clare Canter was named swimmer of the meet for the Bronze group. Canter posted best times in 7 out of 9 events and nearly qualified for KY Champs in the 50 Back with a fantastic effort. Congratulations on a great meet Clare!

NSC Cinco de Mayo Invite Recap PST kicked off the 2014 long course season in Newburgh, IN at the annual Cinco de Mayo Invitational on the weekend of May 2-3, 2014.

Kennedy Kirks showed substantial improvement from a year ago and posted 100% best times to earn co-swimmer of the meet honors for the Gold group.

The meet provided some with their first long course racing experience and the rest of the crew with some invaluable early season racing work in the long course format. Caleb Fell posted two individual victories in the 11-12 boys division. He won the 200 IM and 200 Free and finished top 3 in each of his events. Bradley Baker repeated as the Open Boys 50 Breast champion and added a runner-up finish in the 100 Breast to highlight his weekend. Ian Pitt posted top 4 finishes and best times in 7 out of 8 events on his birthday weekend.

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Silver Group co-swimmer of the meet Yolina Lindquist with her Sombrero!

David Banister was named the other Gold group swimmer of the meet. He also posted 100% best times and showed tremendous improvement in his ability to race the long course format.

Silver group swimmer of the meet honors went to Yolina Lindquist and Sarah Baker. Lindquist posted 100% best times and earned one of the famous sombreros for winning her heat when the music started playing! Baker posted best times in 7 out of 8 events and broke team records in the 9-10 Girls 100 Back, 50 Fly, and 100 Fly. Bronze group swimmer of the meet honors went to Liv Lindquist and Justice Beard. Lindquist posted 100% best times and established the 8&under girls team record in the 200 IM. Beard posted 100% best times and won three individual events in the 8&under girls division (50 Free, 200 Free, and 100 Back). Congrats to all PST swimmers who kicked off the long course season with us in Newburgh!

Paducah Bazooka

Practice Attendance Medalists: February-May 2014 The PST coaching staff will recognize the swimmers who excel in practice attendance in each edition of the Paducah Bazooka. We will recognize the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists each month. Gold medalists attend 90-100% of the practices offered by their group. Silver Medalists attend 80-89% and Bronze Medalists attend 70-79%.

Peyton Patel (Feb) Trevor Peck (Mar) Ian Pitt (Feb/Mar/Apr/May) Jack Pitt (Feb/Mar/Apr) Gabbi Smith (Feb/Mar/Apr) Kelsey Stevens (Feb/Mar/Apr) Lauren Stokes (Feb/Mar/Apr) Matt Stokes (Mar) Kenlin Thomas (Feb) Taylor Thompson (Feb)

Silver Medalists

“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Vince Lombardi

Gold Medalists Bradley Baker (Feb/Mar/Apr) Justin Baker (Feb/Apr) David Banister (Feb/Mar/May) C.J. Blair (Feb/Mar) Shelby Browning (Feb/Mar) Braxton Carson (Apr) Katherine Culbertson (FebMar) Leon dos Remedios (Feb/Mar/ May) Caleb Fell (Feb/Mar/Apr) Tyler Fell (Feb/Mar/Apr/May) Jeremiah Franklin (Mar) Makenzie Garland (Feb/Mar) Talia Housman (Mar/May) Kennedy Kirks (Feb/Mar/Apr) Kyler Koenigsmark (Feb/Mar) Liv Lindquist (Mar/May) Kaylie Newbold (Feb) Logan Oatman (Feb/Apr/May) Volume 2, issue 4

Mickayla Abner (Mar) Stephen Ashley (Feb) Maggie Aydt (Feb/Mar/Apr/ May) Bradley Baker (May) Justin Baker (Mar) Sarah Baker (Feb) David Banister (Apr) Hailee Deom (Apr) Caleb Fell (May) Oliver Fell (Feb) Jacob Ferguson (Mar/May) Emme Harned (Mar/Apr) Luther Hawes (Feb) Talia Housman (Feb/Apr) Kennedy Kirks (May) Kendall Mclean (Feb) Kaylie Newbold (Mar) Logan Oatman (Mar) Ryan O’Neill (Feb/Mar/Apr/ May) Peyton Patel (Mar) Lucy Rogers (Apr/May) McKayla Siener (Feb) Kelsey Stevens (May) Lauren Stokes (May) Taylor Thompson (Mar)

Bronze Medalists Mickayla Abner (Feb) Evan Aydt (Feb/May) Owen Aydt (Feb/May) Justin Baker (May) Sarah Baker (Mar) Justice Beard (Mar/May) Clare Canter (Feb) Braxton Carson (Mar/May) Hailee Deom (Feb/May) Leon dos Remedios (Apr) Jacob Ferguson (Apr) Josh Ferguson (Apr/May) Emme Harned (Feb) Luther Hawes (Mar) Addi James (Mar/Apr) Lydia Jenkins (Feb) Ethan Johnson (Mar) Kyler Koenigsmark (Apr) Liv Lindquist (Feb) Yolina Lindquist (Feb/Mar) Kaylie Newbold (Apr/May) Brady O’Neill (May) Peyton Patel (Apr) Trevor Peck (Feb/Apr) Zoey Perry (Feb) Gabbi Smith (May) Savannah Stewart (Feb/Mar) Grant Stoerger (Mar/May) Matt Stokes (Feb/Apr) Kaleb Suitor (Feb/Mar/May) Taylor Thompson (May) Hunter Vick (Mar/May) Carson Walker (Feb)

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