STAT Shines at 2010 GCST Winter Invitational

Sixteen dedicated and determined swimmers traveled south to Ft. Myers this past holiday weekend to test their mettle at the 2010 Gulf Coast Swim Team Winter Invitational. While the weather was rather overcast and dreary on Saturday and part of Sunday, the team's performance was as bright as the Coach Todd's Christmas lights on Christmas Eve.    Our swimmers, which ranged from 7 to 14 years of age, had a total of 88 new best  times (74%) and even more impressive was the amount of time they dropped in their events.  

Haley "Hot Rod" Hanlon led our outstanding group of 9 & 10 age group swimmers placing second overall in the 9/10 age group High Points Award.  Haley won the 200 Free, 50 Back, 100 Back, and 500 Free and placed second in the 50 and 100 Free.  Haley is obviously looking forward to the February Junior Olympic Championship Meet.

Martha "the Predator" Pointer led our equally outstanding group of 11 & 12 age group swimmers winning the 11/12 High Points Award.  Martha placed first in the 200 IM, 100 Breast, and 1650 Free and placed second in the 200 Free, 50 Breast, and 100 Fly. Martha earned her eighth 13/14 J0 qualifying time in the 1650 Free which is also her first 11/12 AAAA time.  

Here are some additional highlights from the meet:

Abby "Giggles" Griewe and her sister, Emily "Lady Gaga" Griewe, improve their times in every event.

Sarah "Razor" Rossi achieves her second and third 11/12 JO times in the 50 Free and 100 Back. Her sister, Caroline "Rocket" Rossi, drops a whopping 8.36 seconds in the 9/10 100 back.

Sierra "T-Rex" Terrana swims an outstanding 50 Fly missing an 11/12 JO time by 1/100th of a second and finishing sixth. 

Abby "Can Do" Kynes places fourth in the 11/12 50 Breast and ninth overall in the 11/12 age group High Points.  She improves her times in 8 of 9 events

Katie "the Terminator" Taulbee places 5th in the 9/10 100 Back dropping 3.37 seconds and improves her times in all 8 events.

Sierra "Scooby Doo" Wills places fifth in the 9/10 50 Breast and has huge time drops in the 100 Back and 100 IM.

Sydney "Cinderella" Wills, only 7 years old, places sixth in the 8 & Under 25 breast (dropping 2.99 seconds) and the 50 Fly (her first time swimming the event). 

Madison "Mad Dog" McLean inches closer to an 11/12 JO time improving her times in 7 of 8 events

Molly "Riptide" Reeves improves all of her times swimming in the 13/14 age group.

Zoe "Go-Go" Gholson improves all of her times.