Published Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:15 AM
Updated Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:16 AM

 

Waveriders shine at YMCA championships

Berkeley County’s YMCA Waverider Swim Team recently completed the winter season in fine fashion.

For the first time, a Waverider swimmer scored points at the U.S. YMCA Region Championships in Cary, N.C.

Ten-year-old Ashley Thornal placed fourth in the 500-yard Freestyle, and seventh in the 100-yard Freestyle at the region meet. The event featured 900 swimmers from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Ashley, Savannah Spinner, Tabi Dorsey and Hope Stevens had best times in 16 of 17 events, and the Waveriders finished the meet with 25 points.

Coach Tom Schmidt said the team’s performance was one of the best he’s seen in over 30 years of coaching.

“For a young team still learning and improving, this was a big step towards competing at the national level,” he said.

The Waveriders finished the regular season in ninth place at the Carolina YMCA Swim League Championships held in Rock Hill in February.

Paced by Savannah Spinner and Ashley Thornal, the team moved up one place from the summer season, yet at the region meet the Waveriders finished as fourth best team from the Carolina YMCA Swim League.

“We just don’t have the numbers that the larger teams have, but the quality is there,” Schmidt said. “We hope to continue to grow in size.”

The Waveriders were set to begin the summer season April 14 at the YMCA.