By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News
The River Place Rapids swim team wrapped its 2017 season on June 25 with the All Star Invitational Meet at Westwood Country Club with 40 swimmers.
Cannan Ginsburg won second place overall in the boys 7-8 category and won the freestyle event. Other top 3 finishers were: Nicholas Zimmerman’s first in the boys 7-8 breaststroke, Kayla Kovar’s second in the girls 9-10 breaststroke, and Lilah Schumann’s third in the girls 7-8 butterfly.
There were ten all-time Rapids records broken during the season.
“We had a swim season that highlighted competitive swimming, but we also had a season of fun, learning and giving back,” said Paula Schumann, Rapids board president.
The 2017 Rapids’ roster included 117 swimmers, ages 4 to 15. Sponsored by River Place Country Club, the Rapids swim in the Austin Hills Swim League. The season started in April and the team practiced five days a week for nine weeks. The team competed in seven meets plus the invitational meet.
The Rapids was fearlessly led by head coach Andrew McGalliard and assistant coaches Zach Wolk, Tucker Mathis, and Savannah Broughton, all former Vandergrift swimmers. They spent countless hours coaching the kids through one of the Rapids’ best seasons.
“We hope that the special events of the year taught the swimmers lifelong lessons of swimming smart, never giving up, having courage, and helping those in need,” Schumann said.
The Rapids did a Swim-a-Thon and bake sale to benefit Rapids All Star Dunnovan Healy, who is fighting leukemia. Swimmers swam more than 2,100 laps and raised more than $4,000.
“This season was dedicated to Dunnovan, where our shirts featured our tagline #Swim4Dunnovan,” Schumann said.
This year also featured fun practices including one run by Shaun Jordan, U.S. Olympic two-time gold medalist and former University of Texas swimmer, and former UT swimmer Chris Kemp. Another practice had an Olympic-theme. The parent-swimmer practice was memorable as was the final practice featuring a dog-paddle race and a dice rolling swim.
For more information about the team, go to www.riverplace.swimtopia.com
River Place Rapids roster
(All Stars have age listed)
Annabelle Adams
Parker Alfano (11)
Addison Bandelier
Dylan Black
Kaitlin Black (10)
Gabe Blaut
Noah Blaut
Audrey Boyle (10)
Evan Boyle
Ian Boyle (10)
Caitlin Bradley
Travis Bradley
Maddie Broxterman (7)
Caroline Calvert (8)
Mary Elizabeth Calvert
Wyatt Calvert (10)
Cade Cassens (12)
Lainey Cassens (11)
Faith Chon
Rachel Chon
Jane Corne
Marie Corne
Blake Countway
Autumn Crowl
Berit Cummings
Foster Dale
Joshua Day (6)
Kelsey Elliott
Erin Evans (11)
Aubrie Foertsch
Julia Foertsch
Makenna Fojtik (6)
Harper Forell
Corinne Gaertner
Beckom Garvey (9)
Amber Gemperle
Avery Gemperle
John Geraci
Joseph Geraci
Cannan Ginsburg (8)
Savannah Ginsburg (11)
Aiden Giroux (8)
Alexandria Giroux
Bradan Gorman
Eala Gorman
Anjali Gorti (10)
Avery Hawken (8)
Dylan Hays
Emily Hays
Clare Hinkhouse
Elliott Hinkhouse (11)
Hudson Hoffman
Dylan Hopkins
Jade Hopkins (6)
Landon Huber
Holden Hudson
Ryan Jeffries (12)
Spencer Jordan
Caroline King
William King
Kayla Kovar (10)
Kenzie Kudrick
Milana Kudrick
Joseph Logan (7)
Luke Logan (13)
Tesana Lux
Giana Maniccia
Sophia Maniccia
Olivia Mason
Cate McCann
Mecklyn Miller (10)
Hayden Mitchell
Abigail Naden (11)
Nicholas Naden (9)
Kaden O’Rourke
Lillian Orth
Susan Orth (6)
William Orth (9)
Jacqueline O’Shaughnessy
John O’Shaughnessy
Kaelyn Owens
Alexander Paulson (7)
Wyatt Paulson (9)
Emma Pierson
Haylee Pottichen
Ty Pottichen
John Powell
Olivia Powell
Jenna Romney
Sarah Romney
Devon Schaffner
Emma Schumann (11)
Lilah Schumann (8)
Maxwell Schumann (6)
Baran Shafaei
Gwynna Simmons (6)
Grayson Smith
Luke Standlee
Piper Standlee
Gretchen Steber
Aubery Steen
Quinton Steen
Maritza Tomlinson
Vishnu Valluru
James Verratti
Ainsley Walker
Jackson Walker
Ava Weaver
Justin Weaver
Levi Werbeck (5)
Alex Widing
Jack Widing
Christian Wilson (10)
Charlotte Zimmerman
Evan Zimmerman (10)
Katie Zimmerman (5)
Nicholas Zimmerman (8)
