New
England Zone Team Report 2007
The New England Zone Team had a successful long course
championship meet in Buffalo, New York. The team placed eighth with only 66
athletes swimming. Only two other LSCs
had smaller teams at the meet, and both placed under NE. New England also placed above nearby CT with
104 athletes. This year’s NE calendar
made it difficult for some younger swimmers to get in the long course swims
necessary for qualifying for the meet, since the NE Age-group Championship Meet
was after the deadline to enter the meet.
It is important to draw our top age group swimmers in New England to this
meet and to offer NE swimmers quality swim meet opportunities.
The team traveled with 54 athletes, 5 coaches and 8
chaperones. Only 12 ten and younger swimmers met the team in Buffalo under the
supervision of their parents. Sherry Wingfield served as the head coach of the
team, alternating between venues. Alex
Cronin and Tami Johnson coached the 13 and Over swimmers, Tim Thompson was the
head coach of the 11-12 age group, and Chris Woolridge was in charge of the 10
and Unders. There was a chaperone for each group and all did an excellent job
managing the daily schedules of the athletes, supervising their safety and
behavior on the bus and in the hotel and supporting the coaches and athletes
for optimum performance. Chaperones
were: Cheryl Ewing (15-18 Boys),
Stephanie Hosking (15-18 Girls), Tracey Hubbard (13-14 Girls), Bob Lajoie
(13-14 Boys), Margo Normoyle (11/12 Girls), and Coleen Punger (11/12 Boys).
The team achieved many best times (57 out of the 66 NE
swimmers achieved best times); there were 11 NAG Top 16 Reportable Times (6
swimmers) achieved, as well as 8 First place finishes at the meet.
NAG Top 16 Reportable Times Achieved
Abigail Benkert (10) 200
Free 2:26.29
Margaret D’Innocenzo (12) 200
Fly 2:29.71
Kyle Durand (12) 200
Fly 2:31.74
Adrien Hosking (12) 200
Back 2:32.46
Sara Li (14) 100
Free 59.32
200
Free 2:07.97
100
Fly 1:03.97 *SCN *Meet
record
50
Free 26.72 *SCN *Meet record
Michael Normoyle (12) 50
Breast 33.96
200
Breast 2:48.98
100
Breast 1:16.85
Overall, the coaches, swimmers, parents and chaperones felt
that the trip went very well and provided an outstanding opportunity for New
England’s developing swimmers to experience the next level of competition.
Respectfully submitted,
Sherry Wingfield