WEEKLY UPDATE - Sunday, September 10, 2023

Hello MAST Families and Prospective New MAST Families,                                                  #3 / 2023-0910

 

It is hoped everyone is excited to start swimming again.  We start tomorrow!

 

In this update – Some repeated information from last week and some important new information:

1) New Mast Coaches

 

We are pleased to welcome three new coaches to the MAST coaching staff.  Megan Bowersox, Kendall Chapman and Freddie Rankin.

 

Megan Bowersox will be primarily coaching the Red 1 & 2 groups. She previously coached at the Lakota YMCA and the Mercy Healthplex. She was the head coach for the Seawolves the past couple years. Megan is multi-talented and in addition to her coaching experience she holds certifications as a Certified Pool Operator and as a Ohio EMT – Paramedic.

 

Kendall Chapman will be assisting the Red 1 & Red 2 groups. Kendall will be in that special USAS Junior coach designation.  Many of you will remember Kendall from her time swimming for MAST.  She was well known for her enthusiasm and her great team spirit.

 

Freddie Rankin will primarily be working with Corey to coach the Red 3 and Black 1 groups.  Freddie completed his Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine.  He also holds a Masters in Clinical Neuroscience and a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science. He was also a successful college swimming at Wilmington University.  He has previous coaching experience in Ohio and in Texas.

 

Corey Emily and Monty will, of course, also be back with the team. 

 

Corey will work with all groups and will primarily direct the Red 1 through the Black 1 groups. 

 

Emily will primarily be assisting Monty with Black 2 and Black 3 but will also be available to help Corey as needed.

 

Welcome everyone, let’s have a terrific year!

 

2) Team Membership Registration

 

Thanks to everyone for your patience as the registration process unfolds.  We are please to be welcoming a large number of MAST swimmers back this fall, but there are still many who we expected to be with the team still not registered.  If you have not registered yet, please take care of that as soon as possible.

 

In the meantime, if you know of any summer league teammates who are considering swimming winter, please send them our way.  Even though the official “New Swimmer Evaluation” period has ended, if someone is interested in MAST, we will find a way to get them evaluated for the team.

 

3) Important Upcoming Dates

 

4) Meet Schedule

 

* Pending approval from Milford High School and sanction approval from Ohio Swimming
There may be other meets added during the season.

TF = Timed Final: Events are swum one time and results are assembled from all swims.

P/F = Prelim-Final: There will be a preliminary session, top qualifiers (depending on number of lanes in the pool) will advance to the finals and swim a second time to determine final results.

 

5) Practice Schedule

 

*A revised practice schedule will be published as soon as the times and dates are confirmed.

 

 

Swim Video of the week – “How To Swim Freestyle With Perfect Technique – by Fares Ksebati

 

https://youtu.be/uiI6Z_0Q2Io?si=yFprDIp2EE_8W8eW

 

 

See you at the pool,

 

Monty

 

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain

 

 

A personal note - Remember September 11, 2001  

 

Twenty two years ago, our nation experienced unmatched horror as in the morning of September 11 the World Trade Center towers were attacked by two airplanes hijacked by terrorists bent on crippling America.

As the skyscrapers crashed to the ground thousands of people were killed.  I happened to have coached a young man who lost his life that day. His name was Doug Cherry, he grew up in Terrace Park and he swam at Mariemont High School.

News continued of other attacks. Another plane attacked the Pentagon and (at least) one more hijacked place crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as passengers fought to stop the hijacking.

It seemed that everyone was completely unaware of what would happen next, and what would happen to our country.

Memories of that day, for those who lived through it, remain as vivid today as they were 22 years ago. Equally vivid are memories of how unified the citizens of this country were in the weeks and months that followed that horrible day.

It should not take a tragedy to unite us, but we know from those dark days that we, as a country, can be strong and united.

Recalling the words often, but apparently inaccurately, attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville: "America is great because Americans are good, and if Americans ever cease to be good, America will cease to be great." 

On this anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001 let us take a moment to remember the heros who came forward when the nation called for action, and also remember the greatness of America and all Americans.