AAAA Takes Home 1st Place in Medium Team Division
Ad Astra Area Aquatics made history at DI's this weekend - establishing a milestone for our club which will now go down in the record books. For the first time, AAAA finished 3rd in overall combined points, just behind Kansas City Blazers and the Columbia Swim Club. Both of these teams had many more swimmers competing and more individual entries to work with, yet we secured 3rd place by over 200 points. This accomplishment is a testament to AAAA having some of the highest quality athletes in Missouri Valley Swimming. In addition, Ad Astra took home first place in the Medium Team Division by over 500 points.
Along with our overall team success, our athletes had several exceptional individual achievements.
High Point Athletes:
Congratulations to Evan Eskilson and Gretchen Frick as they finished First in High point in their age group. Evan in the 11-12 Boys and Gretchen Frick in the 15 and Over Girls. Heather Cistola also finished 3rd in the 15 and Over Girls Age Group.
I would like to recognize those athletes who took home one or more Gold Medals as DI champions:
Canaan Campbell
Cierra Campbell
Claire Campbell
Evan Eskilson
Danny Christie- All Gold Medals
Gretchen Frick
Sydney Sirimongkhon-Dyck
We also had swimmers receive medals for Top 3 finishes:
Cierra Campbell
Claire Campbell
Emily Venters
Lucy Sirimongkhon-Dyck
Heather Cistola
Gretchen Frick
Evan Eskilson
Canaan Campbell
David Christie
Girls 11-12 400 Free Relay: Claire Campbell, Ava Cormaney, Elizabeth Mullins, and Janet Stefanov
Boys 11-12 200 Free Relay: Danny Christie, Evan Eskilson, Stephen Johnson, Issac Springe
Girls 400 Free Relay: Heather Cistola, Gretchen Frick, Miranda Rohn, and Lucy Sirimongkhon-Dyck
Boys 400 Free Relay: David Christie, Ben Maloun, Hunter Robinson, and Canaan Campbell
Girls 400 Medley Relay: Heather Cistola, Gretchen Frick, Miranda Rohn, Lucy Sirimongkhon-Dyck
Boys 400 Medley Relay: David Christie, Ben Maloun, Hunter Robinson, and Canaan Campbell
Boys 10 & Under Relay: Hobbs Herlihy, Lucas Mullins, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Hayden Robinson
The following swimmers achieved AAAA Time Standards (the fastest standard for age group swimmers recognized by USA Swimming):
Claire Campbell- 1 AAAA time
Canaan Campbell- 1 AAAA time
Danny Christie- 3 AAAA times
Several swimmers qualified for the 14 and Under Central Zone Championship this upcoming weekend, by achieving a "AAA" Time Standards.
Zones Meet qualifiers:
Emily Venters
Cierra Campbell
Claire Campbell
Evan Eskilson
Danny Christie
Marian Frick
Mary Reed-Weston
Sydney Sirimongkhon-Dyck
Stephen Johnson
Janet Stefanov
Throughout the weekend, we had an Ad Astra chart tracking each individual’s success with best times, heat winners, National Age-Group Time Standards, and Sectional Cuts. As coaches, it was very rewarding for us to see swimmers reaching their goals and cheering on their teammates as the weekend progressed. As a team, we had 40 heat winners, 101 Best times, 5 A times, 9 AA times, 6 AAA times, 5 AAAA times, and 10 Sectional Cuts.
This summer our team has worked hard together, and our athletes have been pushed to new levels - both in and out of the pool. We have welcomed several new families to the team, hosted a successful DII Swim meet, and ended the season with great individual and team performances at Sectionals and D1’s.
Our team has many strengths, but I am most proud of how we have all come together from different walks of life and unite as a team through our love for the sport of swimming. I deeply appreciate the swimmers and families of AAAA and I see amazing potential in each athlete - from our Stars group up to our swimmers preparing for college swimming. I truly believe the best is yet to come!
