SaddleBrooke Swim Club
State Championship 2016 – Club President Jack Allison (left) and Coach Doug Springer
High Point Winners, from left: Lyn Moreno and Doug Springer, Steve Roberts, Elizabeth Henley, Glenn Tewksbury; not shown, Susan Moss Fuller, Daniel Vargas and Corinna Goodman
Phil Simpson
On the weekend of April 2 and 3, 50-plus members of the SaddleBrooke Swim Club’s U.S. Masters Swim Team ventured north to Paradise Valley to compete in the Arizona State Short-Course-Yards Championship Meet, hosted by the Phoenix Swim Club. In a record setting, eye popping performance, Coach Doug Springer’s intrepid natators dominated the meet, posting a final tally of greater than 7,000 points, almost doubling the score of the second place host club.
Under ideal weather conditions with warm temperatures and a gentle breeze, the SaddleBrooke swimmers far outnumbered their counterparts from the competing clubs, exhibiting a relaxed mood as they thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance of this well officiated, friendly competition. The SaddleBrooke victory marked an all-time record four consecutive Arizona State Championships. And it showcased the depth of the SaddleBrooke squad whose performance represented the ultimate team effort. Our swimmers were a blend of veterans and relative newcomers to masters meet competition. Swimming in their first state masters meet were Molly Collins, Karen Warner, Kevin Delaney and Jeff Witwer. Second time competitors included Beth Larson, Kim Dobson, Bill Ton and Don Merritt. All swam exceptionally well and made their impact known, contributing close to 800 points to the final team score.
Many of the SaddleBrooke competitors swam the maximum of eight individual events plus multiple relays. A large number of them are, for 2016, the state champions in their individual and relay events with several swimmers setting state records in those events. Capping an exceptional meet performance, Coach and Swim Instructor Susan Moss Fuller established state records in five of the eight individual events entered.
Eight SaddleBrooke swimmers earned the prestigious honor of High Point Winner, awarded for garnering the most points in their individual events, with 20 points earned for a first place finish and a maximum possible 160 points for the eight events. Against very stiff opposition, Coach Moss Fuller, Daniel Vargas, Lyn Moreno, Coach Springer, Elizabeth Henley, Steve Roberts, Corinna Goodman and Glenn Tewksbury prevailed as high point winners for their respective age groups.
Once again the members of the swim team owe a big thank you to spouses and friends who accompanied them and cheered them on and to SaddleBrooke Swim Club member Nancy Springer who as our “cat herder” worked tirelessly throughout the long two-day meet to ensure that our swimmers reported on time to their designated heats and lanes.
Is a fifth consecutive championship in the offing? The 2017 season will pose new challenges. For now, the SaddleBrooke masters team and Coach Springer can deservedly enjoy the afterglow of their remarkable performance in Paradise Valley.