Swim Club members cheer on SaddleBrooke Ranch resident Jim Spiegel in lane 1 (closest lane) and SaddleBrooke resident Steve Willer in lane 6 at the start of their race at the Arizona State University Pool in Tempe, Ariz. (Photo by Norb Lyle)
Claire Guidas
In late October, 24 Swim Club members attended the two-day Ron Johnson Invitational Swim Meet at the Arizona State University Pool in Tempe, Ariz., where a total of about 200 swimmers competed. Both seasoned swimmers as well as new Swim Club attendees enjoyed the perfect temperatures and sunny weather along with the friendly meet atmosphere.
New Swim Club member and first time ever meet attendee Paige Szajnuk had this to say about her experience, “I was nervous, but felt well prepared due to the instructions from all the coaches in the previous two months. As a new swimmer, I was particularly encouraged to see people of all ages, body types, and abilities competing at the meet. I can honestly say that the SaddleBrooke Swim Club is special because each member is incredibly supportive, helpful, and encouraging. We cheered for one another, shared food and laughs, and got to know each other a little bit better.”
In addition to having fun at this annual meet, the Swim Club also performed well, turning in a second-place overall performance in the “large teams” category. Six of the athletes earned a “high point” award meaning that they were the top performer for their age group at the meet. These swimmers were: Samantha Martoni, Stan Strebig, Terry Heggy, Doug Springer, Wendy Weinberg, and Gloria Tolaro. Congratulations to all “high point” winners for their excellent work!
Perhaps you would like to consider joining the Swim Club? There is no need to compete, or you may compete if you like, but whichever you choose, the emphasis is on having a fun experience with your swim friends!
If you can already swim laps and would like to socialize with others while you improve your skills, feel free to try a few SaddleBrooke Swim Club workouts for free before joining the club ($20 per year). Swimmers of all abilities (fitness to competitive) are welcome and many time slots are currently offered several days per week. Questions? Check out our website at saddlebrookeswimclub.org or email swim club New Member Ambassador Martha Takakoshi at [email protected].