MALST Swimmers Wrap Up Season With Awards Banquet

Swimmers and their families gathered Sunday for a season-end awards potluck in celebration of a successful 2016 season for the Milbank Area Lions Swim Team.

Earning the top Champion Swimmer Award was Maurina Street, first; Clare Van Dover, second, and William Karels, third. This award goes to swimmers who are dedicated to the team, show a positive attitude, work hard in practice, place well in meets and gains points for the team, swims state qualifying times, swims a wide range of strokes, cuts time and improves throughout the season, has high practice attendance, good team spirit and stands out as a competitor to other teams.

Brooke Fraasch was presented with the Big Sister Award. “She is a swimmer whose attitude not only supports her fellow teammates but displays a positive attitude to the competitive sport of swimming. She helps others with their stroke and assists the coaches at meets. She has a passion in improving the younger swimming program,” explained head coach Jodi Street.

Four swimmers were named Most Valuable. Max McCulloch and Presley Peschong received the award for the 11 and older group while Liam Street and Jacy Dexter captured the award for the 10 and under age group. “This award looks at combined points scored at all the meets attended and state qualifying swims in addition to having high attendance at practice and the ability to swim a wide variety of strokes to help out teams in any relay position.”

Clare Van Dover was also presented with the Team Choice Award. The award is voted on by the team and looks at the overall commitment to the team during practice and meets as well as how the swimmer helps out and interacts with their team members of all ages.

Autumn Fox, Hope Karels, Grant VanPeursem and Jenna Dexter were named the Most Improved swimmers of the season. “This award pertains to the swimmers that have improved their stroke technique, turns, starts and who continues to cut time throughout the season with each meet.”

Makenna Osowski and Isaac Sousa received the Coaches Award, which was awarded to one male and one female who came to practice with determination, confidence, consistency and kindness towards all members of the team. “They helped out when needed without being asked and assisted the coaches with deck setup.”

Amaya Street was given the Commitment Award. “This is awarded to one swimmer who is dedicated to the sport of swimming year round, maintains a positive attitude, has high attendance to practice and meets, is in the pool in the off season, helps with swim team functions such as Combined Appeal and the homecoming parade and is always willing to help out and give 100% effort at all times.”

Carter Gloe and Laney Forrette were named Rookie of the Year. “They both showed high interest in the development of swimming, learned multiple strokes and completed them legally, scored points for the team, cut time, improved and grew as a swimmer with each practice and meet.”

Danny Van Dover were presented with the Performance Award. “Danny had several races that stood out with excitement, team support and positive competitive swimming. His races were ones that people talked about even when the event was over regardless how he placed.”

Several swimmers were honored with the Hardest Worker Award. Taking home the trophy for the 8 and under group were Layten Osowski and Elexia Quintanilla. Trey Gloe and Savanna Osowski earned the award for the 9-12 year old group while Isaac Johnson and Jessica VanPeursem were given the award for the 13 and older age group. “This is awarded to a boy and girl in each age group for a swimmer who may be new or old to the sport of swimming, comes into practice each day with a good attitude and determination to learn new technique and work on strokes they already know and shows improvement throughout the season regardless of the number of meets they attend.”

Presented with a certificate for “surviving” their first year with MALST were new swimmers Alex Baugh, Aiden Boerger, Jacy Dexter, Laney Forrette, Carter Gloe, Trey Gloe, RaeAnn Gregory, Jackson Hausauer, Kaitlyn Krause, Layten Osowski, Aiden Quintanilla, Elexia Quintanilla, Hunter Reede, Kennedi Sayler, Avery Schuneman, Reese Schuneman, Susie Schuneman, Keira Steffen and Tayla Trapp.

The season was highlighted with 15 swimmers qualifying for a spot in the State A swim meet this season. “I was very pleased to have 15 swimmers qualifying for the state meet this season,” stated Coach Street. “The State A’s is a tough meet against year-round competition, large swim teams and long days.”
The fifteen swimmers who earned a spot in the state A meet were as follows:
Clare Van Dover – 200 IM, 100 free, 200 free, 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly
Aubrey Fraasch – 50 breast, 100 breast, 50 fly, 100 fly
Liam Street – 50 back, 100 back, 25 breast, 50 breast, 100 breast, 200 free
William Karels – 50 free, 100 free, 200 free
Presley Peschong – 100 fly, 200 IM
Maurina Street – 200 IM, 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 back, 100 back, 50 breast, 100 breast
Max McCulloch – 200 IM, 50 free, 100 breast
Layten Osowski – 50 back
Rylie Overby – 50 breast
Brooke Fraasch – 50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, 100 fly
Amaya Street – 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 200 IM, 100 back, 200 back
Grant VanPeursem – 50 back, 100 back
Hallie Schulte – 50 fly
Elijah Fraasch – 50 free, 100 back, 200 IM
Carter Gloe – 25 back, 50 back, 100 back, 25 free, 50 free, 100 free

Each athlete named as a Swimmer of the Meet throughout the season were also presented with a certificate, and each swimmer who participated in the Seasonal Championships were presented with a medal.

“Thank you to all the people who support the Milbank Swim Team,” expressed Coach Jodi. “The Sealions had a successful year and could not have done so without the support from Combined Appeal, our sponsors and this great community.”