June 2009 Newsletter

Volunteer Invitational- June 11th-14th 2009
Pilot Aquatic Club hosted its Volunteer Senior Invitational last weekend at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.  The meet consisted of a plethora of club  swimming teams from all over the eastern United States.  H2Okies(VT), Virginia Aquatics(UVA), Athens Bulldog Aquatics(UGA), Irish Aquatics(ND), Club Wolverine(Michigan), Tennessee Aquatics(UT), Swim Atlanta, Stingray Aquatics, Barracuda Aquatics, Magnus Aquatic Group, Saluki Swim Club, New Canaan YMCA Caimans, SO YMCA (FL), New South Aquatics, and the home team Pilot Aquatic Club were all featured in the invitational.

The meet also featured several USA National team members: Peter Vanderkaay(CW), Alex Vanderkaay(CW), Matt Patton(CW),  Davis Tarwater (TENN), and Christine Magnunson (TENN) along with many Junior National and Senior Sectional qualifiers appeared at the Volunteer Invitational.  “It was a successful meet for us as a team.” Coach Jim Rumbaugh said. “ The meet went very smoothly, and that there was a lot of good competition in the pool to offer everyone that participated.  I anticipate this meet growing into a very fast event in future years.”

The Pilot Seniors swam very well throughout the entire meet, coming back much faster in most evening finals swims.  Pilot swimmers that achieved best times:

Matt Absher – 200 free, 400 free, 200 fly, 400 IM Hayden Baker-100 fr, 200 fr, 400 fr, 200 fly
Meg Beasley – 200 free, 100 back, 100 fly
O’Neill Bergeron – 50 free, 100 free
Laurel Chaney – 200 IM
Jenny Darby –100 free, 200 free, 400 free
Nicki Galler –100 fr, 200 fr, 100 fl, 200 fl, 200 IM
John Paul Gaylor – 200 free, 400 free
Ally Hardesty –100 fr, 200 fr, 400 fr, 100 bk
Kennedy Higdon –200 breast
Chris Kelly – 200 free, 400 free
Jake Lucheon –   50 free
Zach Mason – 100 fly
Ben Myhre – 400 free
Evan Pinion–200 fr, 400 fr, 1500 fr, 200 bk, 200 fl Hannah Pinion –  200 free
Dylan Rasnick- 1500 free, 200 IM
Cliff Robins-100 fly
Kelly Tannhauser- 400 fr, 200 bk, 200 fl, 200 IM
Madison Thomas – 50 free, 200 free,
Mike Zaczyk- 200 free, 100 back, 200 back

Pilot Aquatics is now preparing for Senior Sectionals, a meet held here in Knoxville, the week of July 16th-19th at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.  The Eastern Southern Sectional Zone team for PACK-Summer 2009:  

Ben Absher,  Matt Absher, Caleb Allen Paige Ayres, Hayden Baker, O’Neill Bergeron, Audrey Brown, Louis Bunch, Kate Caldwell, Laurel Chaney, Jenny Darby, Emily Galdun, Nicki Galler, John Paul Gaylor, Ally Hardesty, Cameron Higdon, Kennedy Higdon, Jace Howanitz, Katie Keel, Chris Kelly, Jake Lucheon, Zach Mason, Ben Myhre, Evan Pinion, Hannah Pinion, Dylan Rasnick, Cliff Robins, Nathan Smith, Kelly Tannhauser, Jacob Taylor, Madison Thomas, Lexi Tutor, Mia Wallace, Alex Ward, Stephanie Ward,
Mike Zaczyk

Special thanks to all swimmers, parents, and friends who participated in helping run the 2009 Volunteer Senior Invitational!  Your contributions allowed for a successful meet for everyone.  Thank you for all your help.

AW-06-22-09

Scenic City in Chattnooga-
Mild Weather but Raging Water!
With our small crew of 18 swimmers every swimmer achieved two or more best times. Way to go. 100% LTB's!!! These swimmers achieved 17 new or improved Southeastern cut times. Ethan Sanders led the Southestern crew with 8 new cut times, 50 & 100 Breast, 50 Free & 200 Free, 50 Back. Congratulations also for earning a spot on our Southeastern Championship team: Mallory Gardner-50 Free, Nick Lambson-400 Free, Bethany McNabb-50 Fly, Trecy Rochelle-50 Fly, 50 & 100 Fly, Owen Sanders-50 Fly, Addison Smith 50 Fly, Quinn Smith 50 Fly, Adam Thomas 100 Fly, Natalie Widmer- 50 Free.

Our Best Time Achievers:

Way to go Pilot!

JB-06-22-09

PACK Fuels the Fire in Hotlanta
Pilot Aquatic Club Seniors attended the Betsy Dubar Invitational in Atlanta, Ga his past weekend with three major goals in mind:  Swim as fast as possible, make adjustments where needed from the PACK Invitational, and have some fun. 

Head Coach Jim Rumbaugh was pleased with the team’s progress over the past two weeks:

“The kids are showing good progress in the learning process and adjusting to mistakes they’ve made in the past.  Most of the team’s swims were good improvements.  And even though they are tired, we’re already starting to swim faster with new technique. ”

The team also took part in quite a few activities while staying in Atlanta.  The team had dinner at Dave and Busters, a restaurant that serves everything from wings to steak, and provides interactive and video gaming as part of the entertainment. 

Following the Sunday session of the meet, the team hiked Stone Mountain.  Stone Mountain is one of the largest exposed pieces of granite in the world, and also serves as a memorial to three figures of the Confederate States of America which are carved in the side of the mountain: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis.

The team finished up the trip with a trip to Six Flags over Georgia.  It was a perfect day for attending a theme park, as there were almost no lines to wait in.  As a result everyone was able to ride many rides more than once and experience a lot of the park in one day’s time. 

Pilot Aquatic Club is now looking forward to its Senior Invitational, hosted here in Knoxville from June 11th through the 14th at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. 

AW-06-22-09