Marion Dolphins enjoy successful summer swim season for YMCA

MARION — For over 50 years, the Marion Family YMCA competitive youth swim team has helped area youth reach their potential as young persons and as swimmers. This summer was no different with 22 swimmers working over the 10-week season to set and achieve personal goals.

According to YMCA Aquatics Director Andrew Franklin, each athlete works with a coach to set personal goals and a plan to achieve them. Although most goals are swimming-related, some youth set behavioral goals such as being on time to practice or not missing a practice.

“Nothing builds a child’s self-confidence like setting the goal to dive from the starting blocks and then doing so for the first time,” Franklin said. “Sometimes it’s the kids who achieve these seemingly simple goals who gain the most."

The Marion YMCA Dolphins swim team is open to youth ages 5-18 who enjoy the spirit of competition as well as the camaraderie of being on a team. The only swimming skill required to join the team is the ability to swim one length (25 yards) of the YMCA’s pool without stopping. The team is divided into bronze, silver, and gold levels that group athletes with other youth of similar ability.

Gold swimmers find success at summer championships

This summer the gold swimmers experienced success at several meets including summer league championships where Marion finished second overall.

Placing in this meet were the following: Jacob Dendinger won the 100-meter individual medley, 50 butterfly, 50 breaststroke; Karis Beineke finished second in the 50 breaststroke and fourth in the 100 freestyle; Andrew Deem finished third in the 50 butterfly and fourth in the 50 freestyle; Stephanie Foos finished fourth in the 50 backstroke.

The 200 medley and freestyle relays of Foos, Dendinger, Deem and Beineke finished second in both.

Silver swimmers likewise experienced success at the summer league championship meet led by five-time league champ Paxtyn Elsasser who won the 100 IM, 25 freestyle, 25 butterfly, 25 backstroke, and the 50 freestyle.

Also leading the charge for the Marion Dolphins were Raelyn Edwards who won the 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke, was second in the 50 freestyle and third in the 50 breaststroke; Katherine Beineke who won the 50 breaststroke and was second in the 100 freestyle and 100 IM and fourth in the 50 freestyle; Haley Webb who placed fourth in the 50 breaststroke; Addy Elsasser who placed third in the 50 backstroke and 100 freestyle and was fourth in the 100 IM; Rayna Elsasser who placed second in the 50 breaststroke and fourth in the 50 freestyle.

The 100m freestyle relay of Edwards, Webb, Katherine Beineke, and Addy Elsasser placed won. Also competing were Hadley Moodispaugh and Max White, scoring pivotal points in securing our second-place overall finish.

Many first-time competitors on bronze team

Bronze swimmers, many competing for the first time, learned the value of hard work at practice as their times in events declined over the season. The bronze team had a league champion as Gracie Brunson won the 6-and-under 25 freestyle and 50 freestyle.

Over the past decade, YMCA Dolphin athletes have set and broken team records, competed in YMCA Zone and national levels and have gone on to successful high school and college swimming careers. Just as importantly, YMCA Dolphin swimmers are building confidence and reaching their potential throughout all aspects of their lives.

The school year competitive swimming season begins on Oct. 2. Practices are Monday through Thursday 5:45 to 7:15 depending on each athlete’s level. For more information on the upcoming school year season, call Franklin at the YMCA at 740-725-9622 or email him at afranklin@marionfamilyymca.org

Additional YMCA programs in the W. Keith Davis Natatorium include youth swimming lessons, water fitness classes and lifeguard certification classes. The next session of swimming lessons begins July 29 and ends September 11. Children may begin participating in lessons as young as nine months (with an adult in the water).

Water fitness includes a continuum of classes from those designed for people with chronic illness to high intensity. The next session of water fitness begins July 17. American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification classes are held approximately every quarter. Participants in the lifeguard certification classes must be at least 15.5 years old and able to pass a prerequisite swimming test. For more information on these additional aquatic programs, please call the YMCA 740-725-9622 or visit www.marionymca.org.

The Marion Family YMCA serves over 20,000 people each year through programs and services that develop the potential of youth, help people be healthy and well, and provide opportunities to support one another. The Marion YMCA is an independent nonprofit organization governed by a local all-volunteer board of directors. To join, donate, volunteer or learn more about the YMCA stop by at 645 Barks Road East in Marion, call 740-725-9622 or visit the website www.marionymca.org.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Strokes of success come Marion YMCA Dolphins' way in summer swimming