Chappaqua Finishes 2nd at Counties; Event's Future is Uncertain

The county swimming championships wrapped up yesteday, with Greenburhg coming in first and with Chappaqua Swim & Tennis coming in second.

The finish also marked and end for the Lake Isle Swimming & Diving Team Thursday afternoon, as their streak of six-straight Westchester County overall team titles stopped. With the last race of the 2011 Counties completed, and all the points from three days of competition tallied up, Lake Isle finished third in the combined team scores, 10 points behind second place Chappaqua and 15 more behind winners Greenburgh.

Although a seventh-straight team title was ultimately the goal heading into the week, Lake Isle Head Coach Kevin Lavelle knew going into the championships it would be a tough feat to accomplish.

“We’re definitely happy with third place,” Lavalle said. “It was a tough year. There were so many good swimmers and good teams. Chappaqua came out of nowhere from Northern Westchester and did an amazing job, we knew Greenburgh was going to be the team to beat coming in and Scarsdale came in right behind us. There’s so much competition out there that we knew it’d be tough.”

Other local teams finished in the following order: Willowbrook at 13th, Birchwood at 19th and Mount Kisco Memorial at 27th.

Sadly, and largely due to budget issues, this week’s County meet will most likely be the last one held at the Playland pool, its home for the last 50 years. In a gesture aimed at paying tribute to the historic venue and the countless volunteers that have made the meet possible over the years, Regina Riley – wife of former President of the Westchester County Swimming Association (WCSA) Edward Riley who served for 30 years – handed out medals to participants at Thursday’s session. Current WCSA President Paul McClintock admitted to being seriously concerned about the meet’s future, even as far as next year goes.

“It’s 86 years of family and tradition,” said McClintock, who along with his children and wife competed, coached and volunteered at the County Championships. “It’s as much about the venue and the family atmosphere as it is the actual competition. So if this is in fact the last year here, I worry that it becomes just another swim meet some place else. I also have a fear that this could be the last year of the whole thing. We have a challenge before us of trying to find some place else to go to.”

McClintock added that the Playland pool is simply too old and too worn down to accommodate the County meet anymore, and said that the WCSA is currently having trouble finding another venue in Westchester that is “competition ready” and the correct size. He did reveal that the Department of Parks and the County executive’s office are working alongside the Board to explore other solutions, however.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of the meet, Lake Isle’s Lavelle remained optimistic that a change of venue would not necessarily spell a complete end to the County meet as he and so many other local swimmers, parents and coaches have come to know it, and already had his sights set on the start of a new winning streak.

“It’s definitely going to be different,” he said. “We’re hoping that there is a county meet next year, and that we can find somewhere to have it. No matter where it is it’s going to be a different meet and feel, but it’ll be exciting. It’ll be a whole new meet and a new chapter and we’ll hopefully be able to start that off with a win.”

For photos and complete results of the 2011 Westchester County Swimming Championships, visit the Westchester County Swimming Association's website.