Masters Swimmers, Relays Achieve National Rankings

By Chris Price
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

PASADENA-DEER PARK, TEXAS (May 23, 2008) United States Masters Swimming (USMS) recently announced the National Top Ten List for long course meters 2007-2008. The list contains the top ten times in United States swam in a 50-meter pool over the year.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) had three individuals and six relays named to the elite list. SBAS had the second most selections of all Gulf LSC (local swim committee) area teams. The Gulf LSC consists of masters swimming teams from the southeast and Gulf area of Texas.

Former Pasadena High School All-American swimmer Kristine Kelly of Deer Park, who recently completed her second season of competing for the University of Houston, was honored for five of her times. She achieved national rankings in the 100-meter backstroke (9th), 50-meter backstroke (5th), 200-meter backstroke (5th), 200-meter backstroke (4th), 400-meter individual medley (6th). Her times were achieved in the womens 18-24-year-old age group.

Derrick Mauk, who competes in the mens 30-34-year-old age group achieved four top ten national rankings. The former national ranked diver for Sam Rayburn High School achieved his national rankings in the 400-meter freestyle (10th), 50-meter backstroke (7th), 100-meter backstroke (5th), and 200-meter backstroke (8th)

In addition, former J. Frank Dobie head swimming coach and Pasadena ISD aquatic director Dennis Shippey, also achieved four national rankings in the mens 60-64 year-old age group. Shippey trains the SBAS but competes for the Woodlands Aquatics Masters Team. He was selected to the elite list in the 50-meter breaststroke (3rd), 100-meter breaststroke (5th), 200-meter breaststroke (5th), and 50-meter butterfly (8th).

SBAS also had three of their single gender relays selected for the national top ten list. Long course (50-meter) relays are determined by the sum of the ages of all four swimmers on the relay.

The mens 200-meter freestyle relay consisting of Mauk, Rick Price, Landon Howard, and Chuck Medema were ranked fifth in the national in the 100-119 age group. Price was an All State Swimmer for Rayburn in 1995.

The womens 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay consisting of Kelly, Skylar Walker, Stacey Golden, and Lisa Hernandez were the fifth ranked relay in the 18-and over age group. They also were ranked eighth nationally in the 200-meter medley relay. Walker and Golden were former All American swimmers for Rayburn in 2005 and 1998 respectively

In addition, SBAS had three relays ranked in mixed relay division. The mixed relays consist of two men and two women competing together.

The mixed 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay consisting of Howard, Walker, Medema, and Golden were ranked eighth, while Price, Walker, Kelly, and Medema were raked sixth in the 100-119 age group 200-meter freestyle relay. Kelly, Price, Mauk, and Hernandez were ranked ninth in the 100-199 age group 200-meter medley relay. Howard, Walker Medema, and Golden combined to obtain the number eight ranking in the mixed 72-99 age group.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is a select competitive team and is made up made up of national and elite swimmers from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Friendswood, Pearland, Clear Lake and South Belt areas. Their swimmers compete in competitions stationed by various state and national associations including United States Masters Swimming, Amateur Athletic Union, Texas Amateur Athletic Federation and American Swimming Association.

LOCAL TEAM, SWIMMERS WIN NATIONAL TITLES, MEDALS AT MASTERS SWIMMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

(photo by Chris Price-TexSport Publications)

By Chris Price

(THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, September 23, 2007) Derrick Mauk and Chuck Medema each won national titles at the United States Masters Swimming Long Course National Long Course Swimming Championships held at The Woodlands.

Mauk won his first-ever national title in the 50-meter backstroke, while Medema took his title in the 400-meter freestyle.

Both swimmers, along with eight teammates, took 23rd place in the team standings, out of 133 teams, representing the South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team.

The “All Stars” had ten swimmers, ages 19-53 competing, competing against 901 other swimmers.

Mauk, who was competing in the 30-34 age group, also a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle, bronze medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes, sixth place in the 100-meter butterfly and seventh place in the 50-meter butterfly.

Medema, competing in the 25-29 age group, took a bronze medal in the 200-meter freestyle, sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle, eighth place in the 100-meter butterfly, and ninth place in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly.

University of Houston swimmer Kristine Kelly, who was competing in her last meet of the summer season before reporting back to school for the college swimming season, took the silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke, bronze medals in the 200-meter backstroke, 50-meter backstroke and 400 meter individual medley. She also added a fourth place in the 200-meter butterfly and fifth place in the 200-meter individual medley. She was competing in the 18-24 age group. Kelly’s greatest competition came against Fort Lauderdale Aquatics swimmer Dawn Jason, who is a member of Great Britain’s national team at the Commonwealth Games.

Hillsdale (Michigan) College swimmer Skylar Walker (18-24 age group) was also competing in her final meet of the summer season before leaving for her junior year in college, took ninth place in the 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter breaststroke and 50-meter breaststroke, along with thirteenth place in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyles.

Landon Howard, competing in the 18-24 age group place seventh in the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, eighth in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke and tenth in the 100-meter freestyle

Lisa Hernandez also got into the scoring with a fourth place finish in the 200-meter breaststroke in the 25-29 age group, along with fifth place in the 400-meter freestyle, eighth place in the 50-meter breaststroke, tenth in the 200-meter freestyle, eleventh in the 100-meter breaststroke and fifteenth in the 100-meter freestyle.

Former Sam Rayburn High School standout Stacey Golden also contributed to the scoring with a sixth place in the 100-meter butterfly, along with an eighteenth place in the 50-meter freestyle.

The competitive fires were not limited to the younger adult “All Stars” swimmer. Co-head coaches Darla and Robert Kelly also hit the water in the national level meet for the first time in over twenty years.

“We felt the time was right to get into the water and go for it,” said Darla Kelly. “We have been working with these youngsters for years and wanted to have some fun ourselves.”

Both the Kelly competed in two events, with Darla finishing thirteenth in the 50-meter backstroke and twenty-first in the 50-meter freestyle. Robert finished nineteenth in the 50-meter breaststroke and was disqualified in the 100-meter breaststroke for two butterfly kicks on the turn.

“After the 50-meter breaststroke, Derrick and Kristine inquired why I didn’t take a butterfly kick on the pullout. The rule that allows one butterfly kick on the start and turn is relatively new to the sport and I had not practiced doing it. I went to the cool down pool and practiced it for a while. I felt I it was fine but obviously, I was not. I got DQed by an official that works some of our high school meets, and we all got a good laugh about it. It will be a long time before I live that one down,” said Robert Kelly.

The “All Stars” success and points was not limited to individual events. They entered seven relays and all seven scored and brought home medals.

Relay entries are determined by the combined ages of all four swimmers. Mauk, Howard, Medema, and former Sam Rayburn High School All State swimmer Rick Price swam two relays in the 100-119 years old age group. In the 200-meter freestyle relay, they took the silver medal, but were disqualified for an early takeoff in the 200-meter medley relay.

Walker, Golden, Hernandez, and Kristine Kelly combined to swim their relays in the 72-99 age group, finishing in fourth place in both the 200-meter medley relay and the 200-meter freestyle relay.

Coed relays, which consisted of two men and two women, were also contested with the “All Stars” fielding three.

In the coed 200-meter freestyle relay, Price, Walker, Medina, and the youngest Kelly finished in fifth place in the 100-119 age group. Kelly, and Price, then combined with Mauk and Hernandez to take fifth place in the 100-119 200-meter freestyle relay.

Howard, Walker, Medema, and Golden rounded out the relay scoring with a fourth place finish in the 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay.

In addition, former J. Frank Dobie swimming coach and Pasadena Independent School District aquatic director Dennis Shippey also competed and scored at the Nationals. Shippey trains with the “All Stars” but competed with the Woodlands Masters Team where he can compete in relays with other swimmers his own age.

Shippey competed in the 60-64 year old age group took silver medals in the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke, a bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke, fourth place in the 50-meter butterfly, sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle, and seventh place in the 50-meter freestyle. He also added silver medals in the Woodlands 240-279 men’s 200-meter medley relay and the 200-meter freestyle relay.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is an select swimming team consisting of swimming from ages 9-65 from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake and Houston South Belt areas.