Uniontown YMCA swimmers and divers seek district honors
Don’t misunderstand Darren DeCarlo if he refers to his charges as wet behind the ears. Actually, he’s paying them a hefty compliment.
As head coach of the Uniontown Area YMCA swim team, DeCarlo watched his swimmers recently complete a 3-2-1 Western Pennsylvania YMCA Swim League season. According to DeCarlo, the modest numbers aren’t an accurate reflection of the team’s success.
“We came very close to winning the Division II championship,” DeCarlo said. “We started out on fire, but we hit a little string of bad luck. I don’t want to make excuses, but I’m sure we’ll make a run at it next year.
“The team really worked hard this year and they were really dedicated.”
Uniontown’s team consists of 57 swimmers divided into five age groups: eight-and-under (novice), 9-10 (cadet), 11-12 (prep), 13-14 (junior) and 15-and-over (senior). The team doesn’t have a minimum age limit, just the stipulation of being able to front crawl at least 25 yards without stopping.
Including Uniontown, the WPYSL is comprised of seven YMCAs: Western (Crafton/Carlynton area), McKeesport, Allegheny Valley (Plum Boro), Mon-Valley West (Canonsburg), Southeast Area (Monroeville) and New Kensington.
The regular season begins in the fall and consists of six dual meets and several invitationals. After the regular season ends in early February, the district and state championships are held after the WPIAL and PIAA complete their seasons.
Uniontown has been preparing for the district meet, which will be held this weekend at Clarion University.
“Each individual has to hit a certain qualifying time, and we’re taking 34 of our swimmers. That’s an excellent number,” DeCarlo said. “If you place in the top nine at the district meet, you then advance to the state meet at Penn State.
“The past couple of years, we’ve taken between 15-17 swimmers to states. This year, I think we can take between 20-25.”
Laurel Highlands High School’s Adam Collins and Zernie Parker, both of whom broke their own school records recently at the PIAA Class AAA championships, have also qualified for the national YMCA meet held in April in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Sara Bonchosky, who has already competed in a national, along with Theresa Riley, Keri Smiell, Kaitlyn Johnson and Erin Perry have good shots at qualifying for the Ft. Lauderdale meet as well according to DeCarlo. All five swim for Laurel Highlands.
During the regular season, the team holds optional practices Monday through Friday, then competes on Saturday. A parents’ swim team organization then plays a big role in making the meet a success for both competing teams.
“Our parents organization does a great job,” DeCarlo said. “They have a concession stand, they set up the pool, they act as timers and we have mothers who record all of the statistics. They run it really. Our parents run probably the best meets I’ve ever seen. They’re really efficient, and they do a wonderful job of providing for the kids and improving the team.”
To help with traveling costs, the swim team holds various fund raisers, such as selling cards offering discounts to area businesses, as well as selling pizzas and T-shirts. When team members need to stay overnight at say, a state or national meet, the parents then provide the transportation and pay for the hotel rooms.
There are 34 teams which compete in western Pennsylvania, while the eastern side of the state has 50-plus squads. To win a regular-season meet, a team must win at least six of 10 age groups. District and state meets are more geared towards individual swimmers.
Uniontown competed this season in Division II, up one division from its WPYSL starting point.
“Any time a team joins the league, they start out in Division III,” DeCarlo said. “We’ve been in the league for a long time, and we’ve actually made it to Division I several times. Every year, the team that wins the least amount of age groups in Division I drops to Division II, while to move up, you have to win the most age groups. It’s a lot harder to move up, then it is to stay there once you arrive. If you make it to Division I, you just have to essentially beat one other team to stay there, but to move up, you have to beat five other teams.”
Uniontown’s biggest and perhaps most talented age group is its cadet girls, which finished the season undefeated.
“There’s not a bad swimmer in the bunch,” DeCarlo said. “They’re all at least average to excellent.”
Cadet members include: Abbie Altman, Casey Dascenzo, Chelsea David, Kendall Duley, Brianna Ferguson, Breanne Geller, Kendall George, Heather Hunchuck, Lyndsay Jesko, Clairese Johnson-Green, Holly Nedley, Rebecca Smith, Brandi Whoolery and Kelsey Zimcosky.
DeCarlo said work ethic and dedication have made the difference.
“The practices are optional, but one of the main reasons our cadet girls are so good is they probably have the highest overall attendance at practice.”
The team is comprised from swimmers throughout the county, including Brownsville, Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands, Uniontown and even a few home-schooled children. While most age groups are represented by several school districts, the 15-and-over division consists entirely of Laurel Highlands’ swimmers.
Already pleased with a successful season, DeCarlo hopes his swimmers’ fortunes now continue at the district, state and national meets.
“These kids are very dedicated. They work hard and it shows. We have a lot of younger kids coming up as well and I think we’ll have a nice group the next couple of years.
“I love coaching these kids. They keep me young.”