FSPYFSPYPiranhas SWIM TEAM Wrap Up 2020-2021

Piranhas SWIM TEAM Wrap Up 2020-2021

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COACHING STAFF

HEAD COACH Chris Karelus

ASSISTANT COACHES

Allison Hessemer

Kyle Higgins

Naomi McPeters

Aaron Moore

Lauren Sharkey

Kelsey Tonery

Honorary Coach Gillian Hauptman

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SENIOR SWIMMERS

Will Barnett — Lehigh University's School of Engineering

Isabella Betman

Brianna Dy — Hartwick College

Owen Ferrone — University of Delaware Honors College

Joseph Gurski — Cornell University

Brandon Jawor — Savannah College of Art and Design

Natalie Lee — California Institute of Technology

Jason Mongiovi — Widener University

Angel Panikiewsky— University of South Carolina

Amanda Piña — Tufts University

Rebecca Ronnen — New York University

Abigail Ryan — Northeastern University

Rachel Small — University of Minnesota

Alan Xia — New York University

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CONGRATULATIONS PIRANHAS SWIM TEAM

2020-2021 SHORT COURSE TEAM RECORDBREAKERS

9-10 Girls:Janice Yip: 50 Free – 27.13 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 100 Free - 59.57 @ FSPY February ChillJanice Yip: 200 Free - 2:14.13 @ FSPY vs WY January Virtual Dual MeetJanice Yip: 500 Free – 5:56.77 @ FSPY vs WY January Virtual Dual MeetJanice Yip: 50 Back – 31.49 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 100 Back – 1:07.80 @ FSPY February ChillJanice Yip: 200 Back – 2:28.39 @ FSPY vs WY January Virtual Dual MeetJanice Yip: 50 Fly – 28.69 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 100 Fly – 1:04.74 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 200 Fly- 2:30.58 @ FSPY vs WY January Virtual Dual MeetJanice Yip: 100 IM- 1:07.39 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 200 IM- 2:25.08 @ FSPY 12/Under FinaleJanice Yip: 400 IM- 5:03.06 @ FSPY February Chill

11-12 BoysAaron Frank: 100 Back – 59.21 @Shamrock Invitational

13-14 Girls:Billie Rose Sherratt: 200 Free - 1:52.62 @ Shamrock InvitationalBillie Rose Sherratt: 200 Fly - 2:04.95 @ Shamrock InvitationalBillie Rose Sherratt: 200 IM – 2:07.13 @ 5th Annual Championship ClassicBillie Rose Sherratt: 400 IM – 4:27.27 @ Shamrock Invitational

13-14 Girls 400 Free RelayElle Cadigan, Billie Rose Sherratt, Brooke Labarge, Meghan Lai: 3:35.78 @ Shamrock Invitational

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RECORDBREAKERS (cont.)13-14 Girls 800 Free RelayBillie Rose Sherratt, Elle Cadigan, Brooke Labarge, Kayla Kerr: 7:52.68 @ Shamrock Invitational

15-18 GirlsBillie Rose Sherratt: 200 IM – 2:05.12 @ YMCA Swimming FestivalBillie Rose Sherratt: 400 IM – 4:26.89 @ YMCA Swimming FestivalAislinn Mooney: 500 Free - 5:00.22 @ YMCA Swimming FestivalBridget Davis: 500 Free - 4:59.10 @ YMCA Swimming FestivalBridget Davis: 1650 Free – 17:38.72 @ Summit Winter ClassicAislinn Mooney: 1650 Free – 17:04.51 @ YMCA Swimming Festival

15-18 BoysDarien Betances: 50 Free - 20.95 @ YMCA Swimming Festival (tied record)Joseph Gurski: 100 Back – 50.93 @ FSPY vs WY Virtual Dual MeetJoseph Gurski: 100 Fly - 48.80 @ YMCA Swimming FestivalJoseph Gurski: 200 Fly - 1:48.59 @ Shamrock Invitational

Boys Open 200 Free RelayJoseph Gurski, Darien Betances, Owen Waibel, Hirad Sharifian: 1:24.14 @ YMCA Swimming Festival

15-18 Boys 200 Free RelayJoseph Gurski, Darien Betances, Hirad Sharifian, Dylan Negron: 1:24.89 @ @ Shamrock Invitational

Boys Open 200 Medley RelayJoseph Gurski, Owen Waibel, Darien Betances, Hirad Sharifian: 1:33.78 @ YMCA Swimming Festival

15-18 Boys 400 Medley RelayJoseph Gurski, Darien Betances, Aidan Trenery, Hirad Sharifian: 3:27.01 @ YMCA Swimming Festival

Boys Open 400 Medley RelayJoseph Gurski, Darien Betances, Aidan Trenery, Hirad Sharifian: 3:27.01 @ YMCA Swimming Festival

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THE FSPY SWIM TEAM • 2020-2021 SEASON

Eight & Unders

Emma BaglienAlexandros BalakrishnanAnastasia GeissmanSage-Alyssa IsletaSophia LeeSally LinJulia LoboCharles Lowder

Sophia LukovAnastassia NathRobert NorthSerene RiazValeria RodriguesKeegan ScarpaJayden YipEthan Zhou

Nine / Tens

Achilleas BalakrishnanJacklyn ChoiLeilu ColodneHutton DavisRose FerreiroMary FerreiroJayden FevrierChloe Holland

Camille KeelerJayden LeElla LinNivaan MantriGriffin McClureStefan MonteithBeck MonteithDylan Mora

Sebastian RodriguezCharlotte ScordatoNavya ShrivastavaSwathi VenkateshAshley VerducciJanice YipCharles YuIvy Zhang

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Eleven / Twelves

Krish AroraAlexandra BaglienNormandie BeversluisAmelia CondellTessa DeGennaroBen FenandoeAaron FrankDouglas GeeColleen GillenTerry GouldAlex Holston

Luke IannottaMatthew IannottaSophie Francesca IsletaAnnika JeenaAmy JiangJennifer MarkwantHarrison McClureZachary McGeehanBraden MichaelsSophia MonteithTyson Moose

Amelia NathHrishita ParanjapeTaylor PiazzaGenevieve PopeJulia RonnenSean StanikIsabella TchubabriaAnna VictorinoVivian YuLeyang ZengBenjamin Zhou

Thirteen / Fourteens

Hannah AlberElle CadiganCorey CalderoneBrandon CalderoneCaitlin CarterYing ChowIan DineshAtharv DwivediChristopher EspirituCaitlyn FalkowskiLily GaulinVictoria GeeEryn GulbinRyan Jawor

Carolyn JoePhoebe KaplanKyle KaryczakKayla KerrLaura KimBrooke LabargeMeghan LaiRobert LambertMadelyn LeeBrody LinenbergCaroline LowderTyler McGeehanKyle MillerPaulina Nowak

Emmy O'HearnAri RabinovichMatthew SaulsBillie SherrattKeira St. JohnShae TreneryAlyssa VerducciOwen WaibelEvan WeberSophia YalcinElaina YickGina YipChloe Yu

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Fifteen - Eighteens

Will BarnettNicole Ben-DavidDarien BetancesIsabella BetmanJulia BonhoteMolly BrennanHelena ChanBrandon CortezLeanne DaileyBridget DavisAbigail DiGiorgioBrianna DyOwen FerroneBradley FrankSophia GallahueKatelyn GaulinAnushree Ghate

Gabrielle GreenJoseph GurskiCorey HeOwen HiginbothamAvery HiginbothamChloe HowellBrandon JaworJulian KaniukaRyan KimNatalie LeeKatherine LiJason MongioviAislinn MooneyAlexandra MooreElizabeth MooseGavin MorrobelDylan NegronAngela Panikiewsky

Richard ParkJack PerreaultAmanda PinaRebecca RonnenAbigail RyanHirad SharifianRachel SmallFiona StroutGillian StroutAidan TreneryMorgan TsinJulianna WarrenAlan XiaJulia YickClara Yu

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William Barnett

Will has been swimming on the FSPY team for 2 years and is graduating from St. Joseph’s High School. Will plans on attending Lehigh University School of Engineering in the Fall.

Event of Choice: 100 Free

Funniest FSPY Moment: During the FSPY finale when me, Joey, Adrian, and Brad all had a 100 breast swim off. Even though I lost, it was the funniest race I swam and moment I shared.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: This year for states when every single kid on the team was going up to me and hyping me up, telling me I was going to get the times I needed to get into Nationals. I couldn't name a boy on the team that didn't hype me up. Really makes me never want to leave the team.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Getting to know everyone on the team at Long Island last year and becoming a part of the team, or at least feeling like I had officially become a part of the team.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Do everything you can to work as hard as you can and be who you want to be. Whether that be a good swimmer, a good teammate, whatever it is, don't let anything stop you at achieving your goal. The only thing stopping you is yourself.

Advice for FSPY Parents? Enjoy the trip while you can, it's a lot of fun to watch and cheer on your kids, and just cherish it

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Even though the practice may be hard, getting to get out of the house and focus on something else other than what is going on, it really helps me deal

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with stress. I remember having a test I was worried about and went to swimming and the stress washed away. I also got to laugh with my friends with helped a lot, too.

A few words of appreciation: I want to thank my parents for everything they have done for me along the way and how they've supported me for so long in swimming. I want to thank all my teammates for all the excitement they've given whenever I swam, and for all the high fives and hugs for doing well whenever I got out of the water. And, I would love to thank Pistol for the great coaching he's given and the hard sets to make me a much better swimmer and 100% a better distance swimmer.

Will’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: Our first Long Island meet in 2019

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: I love the relays, especially the 400 free relay.

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Watching everyone on the team cheer for each other.

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Make sure you and your swimmer have fun!

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations to all the seniors! You’re all amazing and will go on to do fantastic things!

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Isabella Betman

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Brianna Dy Brianna has been swimming on the FSPY team for 5 years and is graduating from Bishop George Ahr High School. Bree will be attending Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY. She will major in Biology and will continue to swim.

Event of Choice: 100 Breast

Funniest FSPY Moment: My funniest moment on FSPY happened at 2019 Short Course Nationals. I was sharing a room

with Chloe, and we had all of the girls come in our room for lunch. Chloe's cookie was too hard for her to eat, so she decided to put it in the microwave. She didn't realize that she set the timer to 7 minutes, instead of 7 seconds. The cookie blew up in the microwave, and when we opened it. It smelt terrible, and Dar thought that it would be a good idea to throw the cookie in the sink. We then thought that it would be a good idea to spray ‘Febreze' to get the smell out, turns out it made it much worse. Long story short, double check the time you set on the microwave, and NEVER let Chloe touch the microwave.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Going to Saturday morning practice, and having a dual meet right after. After practice, the girls and I would eat breakfast in the community room upstairs while the teams warmup, and just bond until the meet began.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Be willing to fail, and the results will come. Winners win, losers lose.

Advice for FSPY Parents? Don't force your kids something that they don't wanna do.

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What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? My car, and the team fee that my parents pay.

A few words of appreciation: Thanks mom, dad, my sisters, & Abby Ryan. Thanks to my family, I wouldn't have come this far in my swim career, and make all of these incredible friends. I love y'all. A special thanks to Abby for always knowing how to make me laugh until it hurts, and for being my meet buddy. I will truly miss swimming with you, and complaining about all of the nonsense together.

Bree’s Parents:

Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: Bonding with the FSPY parents cheering for the team.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: Watching the team in the Long Island meet as this also served us a chance to hang out with the other parents.

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? We will miss the closeness of the team, parents and the family atmosphere that FSPY offered us.

Advice to new FSPY parents: Enjoy the moment and have fun with your child/children and support them in any way you can. It’s okay to criticize them but don’t take away their love and enthusiasm in swimming because before you know it, your child/children is heading to college.

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations to all seniors and good luck in your future endeavors. Good luck Bree and hopefully you will have the best time in Hartwick College. Thank you to the coaching staff especially to Pistol for making their time at FSPY a memorable one.

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Owen Ferrone

Owen has been swimming on the FSPY team for 9 years and is graduating from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Owen plans on studying engineering University of Delaware Honors College in the Fall.

Event of Choice: 200 Butterfly

Funniest FSPY Moment: The funniest moment in my FSPY career was during one of the team bonding laser tag trips. The sensor on my helmet broke, and thus I couldn't be tagged out. I was invincible, and milked it for all it was worth!

Most impactful FSPY Moment: The moment that was most impactful for me was the year I got to swim the 200 Fly at States. What a great experience!

Fondest FSPY Moment: I really loved the Long Island meet every December. It was always so much fun and such a good team feeling. My Dad always took me to the Long Island meet and it was always our special time together.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers: Practice, practice, practice - and all your swimming dreams may come true! Advice for FSPY Parents: I know the meets are REALLY long, but it means so much to the swimmer to see their family cheering them on. It helps more than you know!

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day: Swimming gives me the opportunity to clear my mind every day. I know that I'll be able to "zone out" and tire myself out when I've had a tough day at school.

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A few words of appreciation: Thanks to Pistol and all my coaches over the years - your advice and support helped me a great deal. Thank you to my family who never complained about driving me to practices AND sat through so many hours on hot pool decks - you're the best!

Owen’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: Our favorite moments would happen whenever we tried to locate Owen on the pool deck. Every swimmer looks so alike with their swim caps and goggles on. There was never any doubt where Owen was, though - you would just have to look to see who was dancing and moving around, chatting with the timer, making them check one more time that he was in the right place. Owen NEVER stood still! And every time O would make eye contact with us in the stands, he would give us thumbs up! While moving and grooving, of course.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: Our absolute favorite event to watch was when Owen swam the 200 Fly. Boy, what a brutal race that is! And what a great amount of determination you need to swim that event. Every single time, though, after the race was over, Owen would throw his arms up and cheer for himself - that he did it! That he was finished! That he tried his best!

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent: What we will NOT miss: 1. Being at an invitational meet for 6 hours and having Owen miss one of his events because he was playing his video game. 2. The humidity during all those 6- hour sessions. 3. Circling the pool for an hour in the car to try to find a parking spot and crossing our fingers that we didn't miss Owen's first event. What we WILL miss: 1. Spending so much quality time with Owen while being swim chauffeurs 2. Owen's kindness radiate from him at all times. 3. Seeing our son do what he loves.

Advice to new FSPY parents: Enjoy every moment and every milestone, because it goes by in an instant. Seriously, nine years went by in the blink of an eye. And get used to never ever getting rid of the smell of chlorine :)

A few words of congratulations: Owen Robert, you are destined for such wonderful things in life! All your years in the pool have taught you so much about dedication, resiliency, and responsibility. We are so proud of the young man you are, and look forward to cheering you on in whatever you do next. Soar on to your future - good thing you can fly!

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Joey Gurski

Joey has been swimming on the FSPY team for 3 years and is graduating from Woodbridge High School. Joey plans on attending Cornell University in the Fall.

Event of Choice: 100 Fly

Funniest FSPY Moment: Whenever Corby & Dominic would argue.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: Championship meets this year

where the guys team broke half of the FSPY team relay records.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Getting my first Nat cut in the 100 fly at States 2019.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers: Find positivity in every practice/meet. Take your not so good swims as learning experiences so you can come back stronger next time.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing that in order to reach my goals I have to show up to practice and give it my best effort every day.

A few words of appreciation: Thank you to my family for being my biggest supporters. Thank you to my teammates for making practices and meets much more enjoyable. Lastly, thank you to the coaches for always being there for me and giving me the best advice.

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Joey’s Parents:

Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: When Joey broke 50 seconds on the 100 fly

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 100 Fly

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Going to meets and seeing how much fun the team has cheering for each other.

Advice to new FSPY parents: Volunteer and enjoy every moment you get to see your kids swim.

A few words of congratulations: Joey, we are so amazed by all you have accomplished in the 10 years you have been swimming. From qualifying for Zones to squeaking in a qualifying time for Nationals and always giving it your all. Even though this year was tough because of Covid, you went above and beyond, getting PB's at home meets and earning the last spot on Cornell's Swim & Dive Team. Words cannot express how very proud we are of you and hope you will have a wonderful time at Cornell! Congratulations to you and all your teammates on a wonderful year! Love, Mom & Dad

Swimmers: Proof positive that some humans

actually CAN fly.

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Brandon Jawor Brandon has been swimming on the FSPY team for 8 years and is graduating from Westfield High School. Brandon plans on attending Savannah College of Art and Design in the Fall.

Events of Choice: 100 Breast, 200 IM, 50 Free and 100 Free.

Funniest FSPY Moment: While not the most appropriate there were quite a few instances of guys being pantsed during dry land a number of years ago.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: Getting a pep talk after a bad race by previous coach, Shane Tonery.

Fondest FSPY ‘Moment: Doing Secret Santa with my practice group and getting to see the unique gifts. Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Keeping your eyes on the prize will help the most in achieving your goals.

Advice for FSPY Parents: Be supportive and understanding.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing I’ll get to see friends.

A few words of appreciation: I want to thank all the coaches I have had during my career at FSPY. Each of them was able to bring a unique perspective to the sport and make my time at FSPY truly enjoyable. I also want to say thank you to Shane for sharing his story many years ago. When I was really feeling down he inspired me to keep moving forward.

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Brandon’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer "Moment": Mom - My fondest moment would be when Brandon received his envelope from Gillian that he made the swim team. That smile is something I will never forget. Dad - His first 500 free.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: Mom - Honestly, I don’t have a favorite. I truly enjoy all the events as you have the opportunity to watch them grow into better swimmers every time they swim. Dad - Any relay.

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Seeing everyone gather together at meets or at parent functions.

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Mom - My advice to a new FSPY parent would be to enjoy the process. The time goes by faster than you think. Dad - Take it all in...the time passes by too quickly.

A few words of congratulations: Mom - I would first like to congratulate Brandon on his hard word and dedication over the past 8 years. It truly has been a remarkable journey to watch you become the swimmer and person you are today. I’d also like to congratulate all the senior swimmers as they move onto the next stage of their lives with continued success. Dad - Congratulations Brandon on your 8 years on the team and pushing through the ups and downs. I hope you find your love for being in the water again after a well-deserved break.

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Natalie Lee

Natalie has been swimming on the FSPY team for 3 years and is graduating from Union County Magnet High School. Natalie plans on attending Caltech in the Fall.

Events of Choice: 100 fly & 50 fly

Funniest FSPY Moment: It's hard to pick out one specific moment, but I've had a lot of fun conversations and funny moments after practice in the locker rooms. I feel very lucky to have been a part of

a swim team that is also like a family!

Most impactful FSPY Moment: The most impactful FSPY moment would have to be when I was a part of the 200 medley relay that won 7th place in the 2019 YMCA long course nationals. That was my first YMCA nationals meet, and it was inspiring to watch and compete with some of the top swimmers in the country. That moment made me proud of all the hard work me and my teammates have done to get us to that point!

Fondest FSPY Moment: My fondest FSPY moment was the Long Island meet in 2018, which was my first big meet with the team. It was when I really bonded with the team. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive throughout both fast swims and swims where we didn't quite meet our goal. I even have a group photo from the meet that I keep in my room (and might bring to college)! All in all, I had a really fun time!

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers: Your teammates are an important part of your journey. They are there to celebrate when you

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swim fast and to comfort when you don't perform as well. When it gets tough during practice, they are in the same boat. Be a good teammate.

Advice for FSPY Parents: Be supportive but not overbearing. I was fortunate to have parents who recognized this balance. Your swimmer already has a critic: their coach. All they need is your love and support. Let them set their own goals. In the end, your swimmer should be swimming for themself and not for you.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? When I'm having a tough day because of school or other stuff unrelated to swim, sometimes going to swim makes me feel better. Other days, I try to remind myself that I want to improve and going to practice is the only way to do that. On those days, watching my teammates push themselves during practice helps me cope with that.

A few words of appreciation: Thank you to my family for supporting me no matter what. Thank you to Pistol and all the coaches for pushing me to improve, even on the tougher days (aka. free sets). Thank you to my teammates—I couldn't ask for better team spirit, support, and positive attitude to carry me through long practices and meets. And thank you to everyone who believed in me even when I didn’t.

Natalie’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: When Natalie was swimming 100 Backstroke at the Y Silver a couple years ago, she missed the State time by 0.01 second. Coach Chris then put her in the first leg of the 400 medley relay. With the help of two teammates being the additional Timers as a requirement to record the time, and the support and cheers of the FSPY team, she made the State cut. It was memorable!

Favorite swim events to watch as a parent: 100 Fly, 100 Back, and Medley Relay.

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What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Natalie has a younger sister who is still swimming. We will continue to be proud FSPY swimmer parents for the foreseeable future.

Advice to new FSPY parents: Different families have different dynamics and backgrounds. But we all share the same common goal. We all want our kids to do well, try their best, make and learn from mistakes, compassionate, empathize, support and pick each other up, and be happy! Leave it to the coaching staff and the Y community, they got this. As a swim parent, volunteering your time is the best thing you can do to help!

A few words of congratulations: It seems like a life time has passed since you dove into a pool of water for the very first time, Natalie. Your relentless hard work, resiliency, and determination have brought you here at this moment in time. We are so proud of you! Congratulations!

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Jason Mongiovi

Jason has been swimming on the FSPY team for 8 years and is graduating from UCTech High School. Jason plans on studying civil engineering at Widener University in the Fall.

Events of Choice: 400IM and 200 Fly

Funniest FSPY Moment: The locker room showers.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: When I was first placed in senior one and I realized that I was a part of the fastest group on the team

Fondest FSPY Moment: When I qualified for nationals and everyone was congratulating me but I could barely stand up and had no idea what was happening

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers: Make sure you enjoy every practice - you can't swim fast if you aren't having fun!

Advice for FSPY Parents: Hope they don't want to go to too many morning practices before they can drive themselves

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing that I get to see the boys working hard.

A few words of appreciation: Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way.

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Jason’s Parents:

Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: When Jason swam his 1st Nat cut and we didn't realize he made the cut. Started receiving all these congratulations and thought they were for college acceptances at first.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 200 fly and 400 IM

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? The one on one time spent in the car rides to and from swim meets, time together at meets like Long Island, Silvers and States. The fun times with other swim families watching these meets and having meals together during the weekends.

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Enjoy the quality time you get to spend with your swimmer driving to all their events

A few words of congratulations: Jason, it has been a pleasure watching you grow and mature from this little boy into a young man and great swimmer. We are very proud of all your accomplishments in and out of the pool and are happy that you will continue to swim in college. Go Pride !!

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Angela Panikiewsky

Angela has been swimming on the FSPY team for 10 years and is graduating from Westfield High School. Will plans on attending the University of South Carolina majoring in exercise science on the Pre- Physical Therapy Track.

Events of Choice: 100 and 200 Fly

Funniest FSPY Moment: When I was at silvers with Aislinn and we ran around the hotel tricking Angie T.

Most impactful FSPY ‘Moment'? My most impactful moment was having Alma as a coach and having her push me in practice and at meets.

Fondest FSPY Moment: My fondest FSPY moment was going to Bronze every year with my friends.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers: Have fun at every meet and just enjoy your time because it goes by very fast.

Advice for FSPY Parents? Go to as many meets as you can and cheer because meets can stop at any time.

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What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing that I will see some of my closest friends and seeing my coach makes me feel better. Also working hard at practice always makes me feel better.

A few words of appreciation: I want to thank the coaches who have been supportive for the past 10 years and all of my friends. The friends that I have met through the team are some of my closest friends and I am grateful for how supportive and close we all are. Lastly, my parents who would come to every meet and who were always proud of me.

Angela’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: Silvers.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 100 Butterfly.

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? The camaraderie with other parents

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Get involved with the team.

A few words of congratulations: Angela we are so proud of what yo have accomplished in and out of the pool!

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Amanda Piña

Amanda has been swimming on the FSPY team for 5 years and is graduating from the Pingry School. Amanda plans on attending Tufts University.

Events of Choice: 100 fly, 50 free

Funniest FSPY Moment: When I dove and hit the bottom of my lip on the pool floor and it was gushing blood.

Most impactful FSPY Moments: Watching people get the times they want.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Eating at Shake Shack after Long Island.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Don't stress, you have time.

Advice for FSPY Parents? Let your kids rest.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Friends.

A few words of appreciation: thank you to everyone who has picked me up when I needed it and everyone who has made my time at FSPY so much fun!!

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Amanda’s Parents: Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 200 Fly

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? The Holiday meet in LI. Any advice to new FSPY parents? Volunteer, makes the meets go faster.

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations to all the Seniors!!

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SWIMMERS: DO MORE KICKS THAN A SOCCER PLAYER

MORE FLIPS THAN A CHEERLEADER

MORE SETS THAN A VOLLEYBALL PLAYER

MORE YARDS THAN A FOOTBALL PLAYER

MORE DIVES THAN A BASEBALL PLAYER

~ still think it’s easy?

Rebecca Ronnen

Rebecca has been swimming on the FSPY team for 6 years and is graduating from Academy for Allied Health Sciences. Bex plans on Studying neuroscience at New York University.

Events of Choice: 100 Breast, 200 IM

Funniest FSPY ‘Moment'? Trying to tell friends funny stories/hear stories between laps... by the time we finished the story practice was usually over!

Most impactful FSPY Moment: Moments at championship meets when I did not perform well always prompted me to reflect on my training/mindset and plan how to adjust my habits.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Listening to good music during kick sets; it motivates me and creates a very positive atmosphere as I watch the lyrics galvanize other swimmers.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Please enjoy yourselves while training hard! Challenging sets are undoubtedly painful and require tenacity, but don't forget to cherish the team's collective effort of getting through those sets (and be proud of yourself after working hard).

Advice for FSPY Parents? I know it's not fun to sit on humid bleachers during your weekends, especially after a tiring week (and we appreciate you

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doing it!). However, it means the world to us when you show up to our meets, cheer us on, and support us after difficult races and practices.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Even after a tough day, I am driven by the prospect of improving myself. The practices when I finished a hard workout even after initially doubting myself were very meaningful because I proved to myself that I'm capable of swimming through apprehension and fatigue. Also, I love the opportunity to be with my second family, enjoy the good music, and share a physical challenge with my teammates. Lastly, swimming is my favorite way to exercise!

A few words of appreciation: Thank you to my coaches for supporting me, providing advice, fostering positivity on deck, and enthusiastically coaching countless rainy, pre-sunrise practices (among many others, of course!). Thank you to my teammates for making my experience on FSPY so special, cheering me on, planning countless fun activities outside of the pool, and making me smile after tricky sets. Thank you to Coach Chris (Pistol) and Coach Gillian for helping me create the FSPY Tutoring program, and thank you to my amazing fellow tutors, Natalie Lee, Aidan Trenery, and Fiona Strout for enriching the learning of FSPY's student-athletes! I will miss the entire FSPY community tremendously. Finally, thank you to my parents for devoting countless hours of the past ten years to allow me to do a sport that brings me so much joy and for devoting many more to support all of my other hobbies (including that one year when I decided I'd become a professional soccer player [spoiler: I did not actualize this dream. As it turns out, I only went to soccer practice for the post-practice fruit snacks]). I appreciate the moments when you celebrated with me after achievements as well as the moments when you consoled me after disappointments and helped me create a plan to move forward. I'm incredibly grateful for the memories we've shared throughout my childhood, especially the thousands of car rides to and from FSPY!

Rebecca’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: YMCA Bronze championships when Bex was 13. She had never made Silvers. She was sick the week leading up to Bronze and thought another year would go by without a Silver cut. She so desperately wanted to make her first Silver Cut. She swam the 200 Breast and when she made the 100 Silver Breast cut on the way to the

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200 we knew it would be good for her. She made the Silver cut by 4 seconds and won the race. She was ecstatic. So great for a race to go her way.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 400 IM

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Well, we will have 5 more years with Julia thankfully. BUT, we will miss so much about being a Bex FSPY parent. Watching the nervous excitement that builds in her for a week before big meets, picking up Bex from practice and having her bursting to share how well a set went, seeing how swimming teaches kids some valuable life lessons: be a good friend, hard work is important, you can't always get what you want. Sitting in the stands (yes it can be long), working on the swim deck, eating at parent events and sharing in the joy of being part of the parent community that is FSPY. People who care about each other, no matter what the hour, what the ask is. FSPY parents rock.

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Enjoy all the little moments. Chances are your kid won't go to the Olympics (sorry). Times are important, kids want success. However, the dual meets, the dinners at away meets, the drives to meets, buying gear every year, it all creates fantastic memories. Take lots of pictures and videos. Your child has picked a team and a sport that has a wonderful community. He/she will benefit more than you know and you will all have an amazing ride.

A few words of congratulations: Bex, thank you for being you. You were never the fastest in fact we joke that you might have been the slowest as an 8 year old. You never stopped trying. You gave it your all just about every day. Many kids would have quit after such little success early on. You saw swim for what it really is: an opportunity to become the person and athlete you want to be with obstacles/failures and set backs, a daily physical challenge and the chance to make a community better. You are an amazing daughter and sister. We could not have asked for more. We look forward to watching you fly.

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Abigail Ryan Abby has been swimming on the FSPY team for 12 years and is graduating from Scotch-Plains Fanwood High School. Abby will attend Northeastern University in the Fall.

Event of Choice: 200 Breast

Funniest FSPY Moment: On the first day of nationals we all got a cookie with our lunch and they were a little stale so we put them in the microwave to soften up. Chloe didn’t understand how to use the microwave and accidentally put hers in for seven minutes and it wasn’t until her room started to smell like smoke that we realized the cookie burned and the napkin caught on fire. All of the girls were eating in Chloe’s room when it happened and we were all crying from laughing so hard and her room smelled like burnt cookie for the rest of the week.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: After I made nationals at Long Island I realized how much love and support this team provided me with. There were so many hugs and cheers (and some tears) and whenever I think about that moment I’m reminded of how much love I have for everyone who was there that day.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Whenever we listen to music at a meet or practice and song comes on that everyone knows to words to and we all start singing and dancing. Stuff like that makes things more fun and kind of a way for the team to bond.

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Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Find a little fun in everything you do. There will be some days where swimming is the last thing you want to do, but once it’s over you’ll only remember the good stuff. So make as many memories as possible and stay positive! Advice for FSPY Parents? Ten years go by faster than you’d think, so enjoy every moment and remind your swimmer how proud you are of them, even if they already know it.

What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing I can see my friends makes me come to practice because I know they can put me in a good mood no matter how I’m feelings beforehand. Practice is also a good place to release some stress and clear my mind.

A few words of appreciation: I’d like to thank everyone on the team who has made the past few years amazing (especially my practice buddies). I also want to thank Pistol and Sharkey for helping me grow as a swimmer and a person. And of course I want to thank my parents who have been the most supportive and reliable people in my life (and my biggest fans). I could not have done any of this without you.

Abby’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: There are many cherished moments over a 12 year swim life. We were privileged witnesses to FSPY’s extraordinary team environment in what is a singularly individual sport. The first time she swam an IM at Devilfish Classic (she was dq'd (not by her father) for a one hand touch on the breaststroke) is clear to us. But, our fondest memory was when, after years of hard work and numerous near misses, she made her Nat cut in the 200 breast during prelims on Sunday at Long Island. And what made it special for us was not only her success, but the joy and support she received from her coaches and teammates. Abby’s coaches and friends had watched her strive against the clock, supported her when she came up short of the cut, and then it seemed that all of FSPY all shared in her triumph. That made our memory special.

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Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: Not her best events, but we always loved the 200 and 400 IM, when she would track down all those flyers during the breaststroke leg!

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Watching our kids grow and improve. It was always a thrill.

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Remember, it's just a swim meet.

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations Abby! You went from the youngest swimmer on FSPY to the elder statesperson and team leader over your twelve years. It has been wonderful to experience the arc of your FSPY swim career. I hope you know how proud we are of the effort you put in and our joy in your triumphs. We cherish the memories and we feel confident that you are ready for the next step!

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Rachel Small

Rachel has been swimming on the FSPY team for 9 years and is graduating from Scotch-Plains Fanwood High School. Rachel will attend University of Minnesota in the Fall.

Event of Choice: 100 free

Funniest FSPY Moment: Sean Merkle’s spicy buffalo chicken wrap (no cheese add bacon) at the Colony Diner between prelims and finals on the Saturday of Long Island.

Most impactful FSPY Moment: I’m most grateful for all of the incredible friends I’ve made on the team.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Singing along to music in the locker rooms while we suit up at big meets:

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Swimming is supposed to be a fun sport so try not to get too wrapped up in the achievements you want to make. Hitting times/making cuts are great of course but the best part for me was always just being with the team and getting to make so many amazing friends.

Advice for FSPY Parents? I always really appreciated how little added pressure my parents put on me about swimming. I would advise new parents to encourage their swimmers but to have fun at the same time.

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What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? I know that more often than not, just being at practice is going to make me feel better. Obviously not every set is my favorite but being with the team can always cheer me up.

A few words of appreciation: Thank you to my parents for encouraging me for the past nine years and spending so many hours on the pool deck waiting for my races. Thank you to my coaches, especially Pistol and Sharkey who coached me most recently, for supporting me through every race and practice. Thank you to my teammates for making me laugh and making swimming such an incredible experience. And just in general, I’m grateful to team FSPY for all of the memories and smiles.

Rachel’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: The first time Rachel qualified for a state time in 100 Back

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 50 free

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? Watching Rachel’s good humored interaction with team members and coaches during meets. She always looked like she was having so much fun!

Any advice to new FSPY parents? Encourage and support your swimmers through all the ups and downs. Swimming is very demanding but well worth it, and the small trials and tribulations they experience will help them navigate life down the road.

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations on nine years of FSPY!!! Your commitment to the sport, your dedication to the team, and your spirit have been beautiful thing to see grow over the years. We are so proud of you.

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Alan Xia

Alan has been swimming on the FSPY team for a year and a half and is graduating from Metuchen High School. Alan will study finance at New York University.

What is your swim Event(s) of Choice: 100 and 200 Butterfly

Funniest FSPY Moment: DaBaby shirt

Most impactful FSPY Moment: The level of camaraderie and support at just any meet big or small.

Fondest FSPY Moment: Spending time with the team at the Y Festival this year.

Advice for younger FSPY Swimmers? Make your practices count but have fun with it, too.

Advice for FSPY Parents? Trust that your kid is putting in the work that needs to be done. What makes you come to practice when you've had a tough day? Knowing that every practice counts when it comes to achieving that end-of-season goal makes me show up to practice even on the days that I want to the least.

A few words of appreciation: Obviously I haven't been on the team for as long as many of you but everyone was super welcoming and friendly so I'm just really grateful to have been able to train with such a great group of swimmers and coaches. I'll really miss the FSPY community.

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Alan’s Parents: Fondest FSPY Swimmer Moment: When Alan got Nat cuts.

Favorite swim event to watch as a parent: 2 Fly at National Festival 2021

What will you miss the most as a FSPY swimmer parent? The team, the coaches, and EVERYTHING related to FSPY swimming!

Any advice to new FSPY parents? It takes a lot to be or support a swimmer, but it truly is worth every effort. Your swimmer will get a lot more out of it, and the reward goes way beyond swimming itself, and goes a long way in their lives.

A few words of congratulations: Congratulations, Alan, and we cannot be more proud for all your dedication and accomplishment as a swimmer and a student. Swimming has equipped you with many qualities you need to be successful in more wonderful things waiting for you. Best of luck in college and beyond!

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A Very Special ‘Thank You’ to Valerie Jawor for scheduling and taking all of the Senior

portraits. Beautiful job Val, thanks!

Volunteers are the Lifeblood of our team.Thank you to the parents who rallied - many times at the very last minute - to give our kids the chance to compete in this crazy Covid environment.

FSPY STPO: Glenn Falkowski (President)

Steve Kerr (Treasurer)Mary Perreault (Secretary)

Chris Karelus (Head Coach) Simon Lee (Officials)

John Jawor (Equipment) Debbie Pope (Fundraising) Carol McClure (Team Rep.)

Deb Lambert (Banquet) Sheila Trenery (Publicity)

Terrine Joe (Communications)Lauren Moose (Parent Liaison/Comms)

Allison Hessemer (Coaches Liaison)

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AARON T. MOORE LEADERSHIP AWARD These individuals, through leadership, example and performance, have made an outstanding contribution to the FSPY Swim Team.

Congratulations to THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT!!

2007 Peter LiVolsi

2008 Scott Marino

2009 Anne O’Halloran

2010 Rebecca Dunn

2011 Megan Hoerrner

2012 Greg Baliko

2013 Molly Gaynor

2014 Sarah Cronin

2015 Peter Tomljanovic

2016 Sarah Davis

2017 Eric Chang

2018 Olivia Barcia

2019 Darlene Fung

2020 Logan D’Amore

2021 TBA

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