Lakewood Rangers Boys Relay Team Wins The USA Swimming Age Group State Championship Title
Over the weekend of March 7th the Lakewood Rangers Swim Team (LRST) boys relay team consisting of Billy Chambers, Colman McGuan, Colin McMillian and Preston Polen won the 400 free relay and the 200 free relay (13-14 age) and placed second in both the 200 and 400 Medley Relays.
The age group championship meet was the culmination to the Lake Erie Swimming International, an affiliate of USA Swimming, short course season. The meet was held at Cleveland State University’s Busbey Natatorium.
The 13-14 age-group is the senior division of USA swimming. It is the last chance for USA affiliated swimmers to swim in their local championship meet. The four members of LRST swam in individual, relays and championship final events over the course of 3 days.
Most of the excitement was found during the highly anticipated relay events; starting with Friday night’s 200 freestyle relay. The team of McMillan, McGuan, Chambers and Polen placed 1st overall and broke a 14 year old meet record swimming the 200 free in a time of 1:35.61. Later that evening, they placed 2nd in the 200 medley relay to the Solon Stars team.
Saturday’s events culminated with the 400 Medley relay, where the boys finished a respectable 2nd again to the Solon Stars team.
The grand finale of the swim meet was Sunday’s 13-14 boys 400 Free Relay.
All four of the boys were ready to battle the other 7 teams entered in the event. The LRST swimmers relied on the excellent LRST coaches and their long term friendships to stay loose, but focused.
Three weeks prior to Champs, Coach Stacy said, "I saw the stars line up, and I knew this lineup, with a bit of refinement could unseat the perennially successful Lake Erie Swimming USA swim teams." With each practice prior to the meet, the swimmers became more confident and relaxed.
McMillan and McGuan have been LRST members since they were 8. Polen and Chambers have been part of the team for 4 and 3 years respectively. Their long history with LRST and USA swim meets had prepared them to understand the importance of this meet and winning the 400 free relay.
In past years they have watched all the other "big boys" go for it on this special weekend. Now it was their turn and they wanted it. Over the three weeks prior to the Age Group Championship, the swimmers began to visualize and believe that together they could achieve what they wanted most: to win the 400 free relay.
It was no surprise that even after a full weekend of swimming each LRST swimmer on the relay team finished their leg of the relay with a personal best time. The result was a first place with a time of 3:30.47 and one last trip to the podium to receive their first place medal for the 400 free relay.
This winning weekend for LRST was possible due to the dedicated and experienced leadership provided coaches: Jim Stacy, Gabrielle Kariotakis, Kelley Knaack, and Doreen O’ Malley. These four individuals prepare LRST swimmers for every meet through sensible workout sets featuring: endurance and speed training, stroke development, start and turn workouts and even dry-land workouts, to ensure that LRST swimmers are ready for the challenges on any meet weekend.
USA swim teams, such as LRST provide a setting where children are coached by individuals with years of swimming and coaching experience. The team is stratified based on a swimmer’s age and stroke development needs. Swimmers and their coaches work throughout each season working on stroke needs, as well as developing each swimmer’s self-confidence and personal swim goals.
If you are interested in having your child become involved in this great sport, visit the LSRT website at www.lakewoodrecreation.com/lrst.