New USA Swimming Program in Central PA

Looking for a jump start to your winter swim season? Or additional competition beyond your winter swim team? The Lock Haven University swim coach, Andy Waeger, is starting up a USA Swimming Team. Might be a great opportunity to supplement your winter swim season.

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Jersey Shore Girls Share All Star Swimming Title With Loyalsock

It seemed like business as usual for the Jersey Shore swimmers. They consistently fall behind in points only to utilize the final freestyle relays to save the day. This is how they operated during the dual meet season against the likes of Wellsboro and Loyalsock. It was no different for the girls in this year’s Bald Eagle Swim League All-Star meet. The Shore girls led in points the first 6 events after Taylor Fleming, Gabbie Moore, Olivia Edler, Sam Kennelley, and Kortnee Blair captured the 300 yard crescendo medley relay only to drop into second behind Loyalsock for the other 53 events. Event 60, however, was the final freestyle relay.

The girls entered that last relay down four points, 135-131. It was going to take a hard push by the girls in the 300 yard crescendo freestyle relay plus a little help from some friends in order to win the meet.

Shore’s 8-and-under Fleming led off the race by completing her 25 yards even with two other swimmers from Loyalsock and Wellsboro. This gave 10-and-under Emma Butzler a chance to create a large lead over the competition in the next 50 yards. The competition, however; started to reel in the next two Jersey Shore swimmers. Olivia Bellomo met up with Loyalsock’s 50 yard freestyle winner, Natalie Zicolello and Wellsboro’s 100 yard freestyle specialist Alexa Singer. Sapphire Naugle, representing the 14-and-under age group, lost additional ground to both Loyalsock and Wellsboro.
TO SEE READ MORE ABOUT THE ALL-STAR MEET, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Polar Bear Club Goes Out for Breakfast

Assistant coach for the Jersey Shore Summer swim team, Steve Sheets, invited swimmers out for breakfast at the Crest Diner. These "polar bear" swimmers had the initiative to get up early during the summer for swim practice. Not only was the practice longer in the morning (7:30 AM - 9:00 AM) than afternoon sessions but a bit more intense. In addition, there were some mornings that the water was a bit cooler because of extended cool nights. It was all right as it made them swim faster!
Members of the polar club include (left to right)Danny Pellacore, Madalyn Charnego, Olivia Stemler, assistant coach Steve Sheets, Danielle McPherson, Rachel Duda, Tyler Sheets, Jacob Butzler, Cullen Berfield, Amy Shadle, and Olivia Bellomo.

Jersey Shore Girls Tie for Top Honors at All-Star Meet

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Jersey Shore Swimmers in Music Video

Mike Rodo, swim team parent, had created a music video for the 2009 YMCA Swim Banquet and has modified it to include summer swim and Penn State High Dive photos. He then showcased this at the Flick N Float this summer with acknowledgement to our movie sponsors. For those who were not there, turn up the volume and enjoy!

Click on arrow on middle of screen to start play.

Jersey Shore/Williamsport Swim Meet Synopsis

Olivia Edler, completing the breaststroke leg of her 100 individual medley, went on to win the event by six seconds.

Jersey Shore’s head coach, Patty Kennelley, and her assistant coaches were all wet after Thursday’s 8-2 win over Williamsport at the Jersey Shore Borough outdoor pool. The Shore swimmers pushed them into the racing lanes after another successful season. Although they did not win the regular season title (Wellsboro did this year), they finished the season 4-0-2. This is the fifth consecutive year that the Jersey Shore summer swim program has completed the summer season without a loss in the Bald Eagle Swim League.

As in previous weeks, the final freestyle relays were critical for several age groups. Shore’s 8-and-under started off the evening on a positive note when Alex Butzler, Tayven West, Tycen Whitman, and Caleb Stemler posted the fastest time in the opening 100 yard medley relay.

Over the next two events, Williamsport was able to leap over Jersey Shore in the points column by winning the 25 yard freestyle and backstroke. West returned Shore’s lead by swimming a clean race and capturing the 25 yard breaststroke. Butzler increased the lead slightly, 22-19, with a narrow win in the 25 yard butterfly. The final 100 yard freestyle relay of Butzler, West, Whitman, and Stemler finished 1.5 seconds ahead of Williamsport and secured the age group win, 28-23.

Their female counterparts didn’t have to worry about the final relays as the 8-and-under girls dominated Williamsport from start to finish. The foursome of Morgan Geyer, Allison Moore, Natalie Charnego, and Haley Shadle along with their teammates Jordan O’Connor, Jessica Creveling, Sadie Griswold, and Taylor Fleming delivered a 1-2 punch in the opening 100 yard medley relay that Williamsport could not recover from. They went on to win ever individual event and went 1-2-3 in two of those events; the 25 yard freestyle (Fleming, O’Connor, Charnego) and 25 yard backstroke (O’Connor, Geyer, Keegan).

Although the regular season is over, Jersey Shore swimmers will wrap up the season with All-Stars tomorrow and Championships on July 31.
Ian Endresen captured first place in the boys 15-and over 100 yard breaststroke

Jersey Shore/Wellsboro Swim Meet Synopsis

Jersey Shore swimmers warm-up before starting swim meet against Wellsboro

At some point, Jersey Shore is going to have to come up with an answer to deal with Wellsboro’s growing youth movement. Shore had easily handled Wellsboro in previous years but the gap is narrowing. In 2008, Shore easily won 7-3 but just escaped with a 6-4 win a year later. This week, Jersey Shore struggled against Wellsboro and managed a 5-5 tie.

Wellsboro’s younger age groups dominated the black and orange as both 8-and-under boys and girls lost 34-21 and 42-14, respectively. It was no better for the 10-and-under boys as they lost 55-19.
The bright spot in the younger age groups was the 10-and-under girls. They stopped Wellsboro’s undefeated girls, 54.5 - 19.5, by winning both relays and every individual event.
TO SEE READ MORE OF THE JERSEY SHORE/WELLSBORO MEET, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Jersey Shore Ends Regular Season With Win Over Williamsport

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Jersey Shore Swimmer Heads for Open Waters

A swimmer from the Jersey Shore Swim Team, Kortnee Blair, recently participated in a 1.5 mile open water swim. The event was held at Nockamixon State Park in Quakertown, PA on July 11. The course distance was .75 mile, so the swimmers had to swim 2 laps. Kortnee believes her second lap went faster because she knew what to expect. She said the water was so murky that visibility was a mere 2 feet, which made it difficult to determine exactly where she was on the course; it also explained her inability to see the impending “attack of the seaweed” which slowed her progress a bit. In spite of those obstacles, Kortnee placed 66th out of 199 entrants with a time of 47:00:00. She was also the second youngest swimmmer in the event.

A portion of the approximately 300 swimmers at the start of the race.


Kortnee, nearing the end of lap 1, looking to see where to turn to begin lap 2.

Kortnee after completing the race. The orange buoys in the background are what established the parameters of the course.
[We prefer to believe they were there to cheer our “bullfrog” on!]

As submitted by Kortnee's mom.

Jersey Shore/Wellsboro Swim to Tie

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Part II - Jersey Shore/Loyalsock Swim Meet Synopsis

Have you ever wondered what the other swim teams think of Jersey Shore? Below is the Jersey Shore/Loyalsock write-up from the Loyalsock point of view. This information was obtained from their website at http://www.eteamz.com/BaldEagleSwim/index.cfm?league=2537296&subsite=2537327


Where's a nice thunderstorm when you need one???

Well, you can't have a closer meet than the one that we had against Jersey Shore. While in most seasons Jersey Shore (perennial League champion) beats us pretty soundly, this year things were different. Our swimmers in every age group swam hard throughout the evening, with the running score tied at 5-5 through most of the meet. Just before the final relays began, however, our team surged to a 6 1/2 - 3 1/2 lead - if a thunderstorm had hit right then, the meet would have ended, and our team would have come away with a major upset.

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side (in kind of a reverse fashion!) and the relays were swum. The 8 and under boys, who led 21-20 despite not having a medley relay team at all (thanks to another first place sweep by Angelo Silvagni and Alex Zicolello), didn't have enough swimmers for the final relay, and so lost 29-21. The 8 girls, however, were able to widen their 25-21 lead (built on first place finishes by Cassandra Gee and Lydia Smith) with a first place finish in the free relay (Amya Leinbach, Lydia Smith, Summer McNulty, and Cassandra Gee).
TO SEE READ ABOUT THE JS/LOYALSOCK SWIM MEET, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Blast From the Past

Several members of the 2010 Jersey Shore Summer Swim Team have parents that also swam during the summers many years ago. Check out the 1980 photo below and see if you can find them. Can anyone identify the swimmers in the picture?

Click on picture to enlarge

First Flick N Float A Sucess

The Jersey Shore Summer Swim Team tried something different this year to complement their annual Dip N Dances, a Flick N Float. This was made possible by several businesses and individuals.

Our sponsors were critical in helping with the cost of the movie. To legally show a movie, we need a site license which can be a little costly. Please acknowledge the businesses below for their support of this social event and the swimming program.
Santino's
Be Fit and Fabulous
Subway, Jersey Shore
Manor Care
West Pharmaceutical




TO SEE PICTURES FROM THE FLICK N FLOAT, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Perseverance

On May 21, Samantha Keegan broke both bones in her lower arm in a trampoline incident. It was a pretty bad break that required surgery a few days later to insert two rods to aid in the healing process. She had to wear a cast for about six weeks which limited her arm movement. Sam is an avid swimmer and was bummed out that she was going to miss the start of the Jersey Shore summer swim season.

She was able to get a shorter cast for the last two weeks that allowed her more arm movement. The shorter cast also allowed her to get in the water and do some kicking drills.

Finally, the cast came off on July 6. And believe it or not, Sam wanted to swim in the meet against Troy that same day. Head coach Patty Kennelley inserted Sam as an exhibition swimmer for the 25 yard freestyle. She was all smiles after the meet.

Next up for Sam was the meet against Loyalsock. She was placed in Jersey Shore’s #2 opening and final relays. Both relays took second place (behind JS #1 relays) to pick up 6 points. Sam also was placed in the 25 yard breaststroke and butterfly where she finished 2nd in both, behind teammates Cassie Kitchen and Gabbie Moore respectively.

Jersey Shore/Loyalsock Swim Meet Synopsis

Jersey Shore swimmers line up in the water to fine tune turns during warm-ups.

There are a total of seventy-six events in a Bald Eagle Swim League Meet. As the meet progresses, the coaches and swimmers can usually tell which age groups match up better than others. Jersey Shore’s meeting with Loyalsock was no different as they were easily controlling Loyalsock in the 10-and-under girls, 12-and-under boys, and 15-and-over girls. Likewise, ‘Sock matched up well in the 12-and-under girls, 10-and-under boys, and the 15-and-over boys. Coaches on both sides had no idea about the four other age groups and knew that it was going to come down to the final relays to decide the overall meet winner.

The 8-and-under boys entered their last event, the 100 yard freestyle down one point. Loyalsock was unable to field a full complement of swimmers so Shore’s two relays were able to capture first and second to secure a 29-21 win.
TO READ MORE ABOUT THE JERSEY SHORE/LOYALSOCK SWIM MEET, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Jersey Shore Slips By Loyalsock

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Jersey Shore Tops Troy

Jersey Shore’s Jamie Mason streamlines through the water as she comes off the wall.

As game time approaches, it is not only the athletes that worry but also the coaches. Jersey Shore’s head coach, Patty Kennelley had plenty to worry about. The Troy swimming pool had been having problems with their pool (water temp was only 43 F) and they decided to change the venue last minute to the Smythe Park Pool in Mansfield. The change in venue also pushed back the starting time to a late 7:00 PM. Finally, she had to deal with some last minute scratches due to injuries and other issues.

Her team put aside all inconveniences and swam fast and hard to an 8.5 - 1.5 win. The change in venue seemed to suit the 15-and-over girls just fine as they broke two league records. Their opening 200 medley relay of Maddi Thompson, Danielle McPherson, Sam Kennelley, and Jamie Mason broke the league record. Thompson, later in the evening, broke the 100 yard freestyle record of 55.22 seconds by 2/100s of a second.
TO READ MORE ABOUT THE JERSEY SHORE/TROY SWIM MEET, THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Jersey Shore Summer Swim Team Captures Third Place - Without Hitting the Water

Congratulations are in order for the exhuberance the swimmers showed in the Jersey Shore Town Meeting parade and Todd Moore's effort in designing the float. The effort paid off literally as the team float received a third place finish and a $15 prize. Now the bar has been set to do even better next year. Hats off to everyone involved.

Swimmers Participate in 2010 Jersey Shore Town Meeting Parade

The Jersey Shore swimmers sweated it out yesterday as they walked through town throwing candy and one-day pool passes to people and kids lining the street.

The evening started with the group meeting at the Wheeland Center. From the get go, kids and adults immediately started to drink water as temperatures reached 97 F.

The group then walked to where the float was located and got their candy and other items to hand out. Again, hydrating continued. Todd Moore, float builder, is standing next to the float in black shirt and white cap.TO READ MORE ABOUT THE PARADE AND VIEW PHOTOS THEN CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Jersey Shore High School Swimmer Named Female Athlete of the Year in Another Area Newspaper

Jersey Shore swimmer and softball player, Brooke Koch, was again recognized for her achievements on land and water as the Lock Haven Express named her their 2010 Female Athlete of the Year.

Below are some excerpts from the July 8, 2010 article in the Lock Haven Express:

•Koch, a member of the swim team and the softball squad, made it to the PIAA state tournament in both sports and returned to Lycoming County with hardware from each.

•It started during the swim season when Koch and her 200-yard freestyle relay teammates earned a seventh-place finish at the state meet, held at Bucknell University.

•Before the community was chanting the Lady Bulldogs' name on the softball field, Koch and the swim team were having a successful season in the pool.
Unbeatable in the relay events most meets, Koch - along with Danielle McPherson, Maddi Thompson and Jamie Mason - earned state hardware in the 200 relay with a time of 1 minute, 41.08 seconds. Earlier in the season, Jersey Shore broke the district mark in that same event while also winning the 400 relay in record-breaking time.
Koch has her name stamped on all three relays - the 200 free and 400 free as well as the 200 medley.
"This year was definitely unexpected," Koch said. "We lost Sam (Kennelley) who was a good butterflier. To have Jamie come in and take over in the free relay was great for us. In swimming, I wanted to make it to states in an individual event, but I didn't get to do that."

Mill Hall/Jersey Shore, MH/Troy Summer Swim Meet Synopsis

Top, 14-and-under Courtney Breon finishes the butterfly leg in her 100 individual medley relay while below, Jacob Butzler glances over at the competition in the boys 12-and-under 100 yard freestyle.

Area swimmers finished several meets last week against local and regional teams. Jersey Shore met up earlier in the week with Tri-Town (Muncy area) and escaped with a 5-5 tie. The Mill Hall Fighting Muskrats swam against Troy and had their best showing yet. They nearly pulled out a win but came up short, eventually losing 6-4. Mill Hall's successful age groups in the Troy meet were the 8-and-under boys, 38-0; 10-and-under boys, 43-17; 12-and-under boys, 28-26 and the 15-and-over girls, 42-18.

Although Mill Hall’s 12-and-under girls lost 41 – 31, head coach Carol Matheney said her girls “had a great meet”. The medley relay comprised of Isabelle Gabinsky, Kyra Greenaway, MacKayla VanGorder, and Madison Myers came in second with a time of 3:01.62. Gabinsky and Myers later partnered with teammates Emily Walbridge and Michelle Haftl to capture the final 200 freestyle relay. Haftl was also able to secure two individual wins in the 100 yard individual medley and 50 yard butterfly. Ciera Strouse swam the 100 freestyle for a second place finish with a time of 1:35.00 and two third place finishes in the 50 yard backstroke and butterfly. Greenaway had a second place finish in the 50 freestyle with a time of 39.64 and a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle. Walbridge scored 3 points with her second place finish in the 50 yard breaststroke with a time of 49.75.

Mill Hall then traveled across Pine Creek to take on Jersey Shore. This is a meet that Shore head coach, Patty Kennelley, looks forward to every year as both head coaches worked together for several years during YMCA winter swim. “It is always nice when we swim Mill Hall. Going into the meet knowing that you have a great relationship with the opposing coach makes the meet a little more enjoyable,” said Kennelley.

Jersey Shore Swimmer Named Female Athlete of the Year

Jersey Shore High School swimmer and softball star, Brooke Koch, was named as the Williamsport Sun-Gazette’s 2010 Female Athlete of the Year. She excelled on land and water as she was recognized not only for her role in softball but her accomplishments in the racing lanes.

The June 27, 2010 Williamsport Sun-Gazette states:
Hardly one-dimensional, Koch also was a standout swimmer, earning all-state honors in the 200 medley and freestyle relays the last two years. Koch also helped those relay teams earn district records. A first-team Heartland Conference all-star, Koch was also part of a district record-breaking 400 free relay team.

left to right - The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Maddi Thompson, Brooke Koch, Jamie Mason, and Danielle McPherson placed seventh in the championship final at the PIAA Class AA swimming championships, held at Bucknell University.

Jersey Shore Tops Troy, Sets Several New League Records

Two new league records were set last night as Jersey Shore cruised past Troy. Maddi Thompson broke the old 100 yard freestyle record of 55:22 to set it at 55:17. Thompson then teamed up with Danielle McPherson, Sam Kennelley, and Jamie Mason to break the league record (1:59.32) in the medley relay with a time of 1:59.06.

Click picture to enlarge score

Penn State High Dive Field Trip

A large group of Jersey Shore Summer Swim Team Members traveled over to Penn State to experience the high dives and PSU's homemade ice cream. Below are some pictures and short videos showcasing the trip.

The first thing the group did upon arrival at Penn State's outdoor pool was to eat a lunch.

Lunch was a short,fast affair as everyone was eager to get into the pool. Before entrance into the water, every child had to prove to management that they were proficient swimmers. So everyone had to take a test. If they did not pass, then the only way to enter the water was with a life vest. The kids were required to line up at the pools edge.

One by one, each swimmer had to swim across the pool (25 yards) without stopping and swim a proficient freestyle (elbows out of the water and good kick). TO READ MORE ABOUT THE TRIP, VIEW PHOTOS, AND LOOK AT SOME VIDEO, CLICK ON "READ MORE" BELOW.

Once that was done, each swimmer had to tread water in the deep end for one minute in small groups.

After everyone passed (they are on the swim team, would you expect anything else?)there was a mad scramble to the base of the high dive.

Many swimmers took their time to launch themselves off the platforms. The line of fear had to be crossed in the mind before the "leap" of faith into the water.

Then they jumped...


and fell like rocks.


Some swimmers leaped without hesitation.

While others took their good ole time to work up the courage.

Even head coach, Patty Kennelley took to the high dives but she only jumped from the lower platform and had to say a little prayer.

Other swimmers took to the one meter diving board and tried their hand at flips and jumping.

After the kids were all tired out, they walked over to Penn State's Creamery and enjoyed some homemade ice cream.

The last stop for the day was a group picture at the Nittany Lion Shrine.

Virtual Record Board

This virtual record board will be updated periodically. Check your swimmer's time to see how they stack up to past swimmer's times. Swim team parent, Todd Moore, has volunteered to construct a permanent record board to be displayed at the Jersey Shore Borough Outdoor Pool.

Click on virtual record board to enlarge

Jersey Shore/Tri-Town Swim Meet Synopsis

Jersey Shore’s Brett Ulsamer, in the breaststroke leg of his 100 meter individual medley, misses first by 1.5 seconds. Photo courtesy of Mike Rodo.

The dissolution of the Montoursville Summer Swim Team was a boon for several area teams as swimmers sought new racing lanes to call home. One of the recipients of the break-up was Tri-Town (Muncy area). Not only did their swimmer count rise but also their talent pool. The past two years, Shore easily handled Tri-Town with 9-1 wins in 2008 and 2009. On Tuesday night, neither team could claim dominance over the other as it ended in a 5-5 tie.

The 15-and-over girls three year win streak came to an end in a close contest, 40-34. Although Shore won both relays and took half the individual events, Tri-Town had just enough depth to outpoint their opponent in the end. Danielle McPherson won the 100 meter freestyle and breaststroke while teammate Sam Kennelley won the 50 meter butterfly. They partnered with Katie Flook and Gabbie Rossman to take the 200 meter medley and freestyle relays.

Jersey Shore’s 15-and-over Gabbie Rossman in the 50 meter breaststroke. Photo courtesy of Mike Rodo.

As one streak ends, another starts. The 10-and-under girls finished last year undefeated and easily handled Tri-Town, 62-12, by winning both relays and all six individual events. The opening 100 meter medley relay of Kendra White, Emma Butzler, Gabbie Moore, and Hannah Stemler set the tone for this group of girls. The foursome went on to dominate the individual events as Stemler captured the 25 meter freestyle, Butzler the 100 meter individual medley and 25 meter breaststroke, White the 50 meter freestyle, and Moore the 25 meter butterfly and backstroke. Shore swimmers were also able to capture second place in five of those six events. White, Moore, and Butzler teamed up with Cassie Kitchen to take the 100 meter freestyle relay. Their teammates Saddie Powers, Haley Naugle, Briar Lehman, and Stemler were several seconds behind to capture second.

The 14-and-over boys fared well against Tri-Town with a 48-21 win. The opening relay of Evan Moore, Clay Newton, Derek McPherson, and Jonathon Weaver went uncontested but that was not the case for their final 200 meter freestyle relay. Moore and Tri-Town’s Nick Ripley fought for the lead in the first leg with Moore just out-touching his opponent. Tri-Town’s Coleman Wolfe was able to jump ahead of Weaver in the second 50 meters only to have Newton regain the lead, ever so slightly, in the third 50 meters. The win was finally sealed when McPherson out-sprinted Tri-Town’s anchor to the wall. Newton also captured the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, Moore the 50 meter backstroke and butterfly, and McPherson the 100 meter individual medley.

Jersey Shore’s 14-and-under Derek McPherson, cruises in the breaststroke leg of his 100 meter individual medley on route to a win. Photo courtesy of Mike Rodo

Jersey Shore Swims Past Mill Hall

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