Yorktown Swim and Dive Team Cheers on at Team Breakfast and Awards Ceremony

The Yorktown Swim and Dive Team celebrated its near end of season with an annual team breakfast and awards ceremony held at Downing Park Pavilion on Wednesday.

The 177-member summer town team and their families partook in baskets of bagels and trays of baked goods set up by parent volunteer committee then huddled for presentation of awards as well as words of recognition and appreciation.

The team has won numerous division championships in the Northern Westchester Swim Conference. According to its board president Ginger Smith, YSDT is the only town team that has consistently remained in division I at least since 1995, when her eldest son Andrew Palumbo joined the team. (Division I is composed of private club teams and other town teams that have been in and out of the division.)

Smith said the success of the Parks and Recreation program can be attributed to the size and depth of the team. This year marked the 20th anniversary of head dive coach Beth Kear, who has been “investing in the athletes with her ability to lead divers to want to be better,” assistant dive coach Amanda Caputi said in her appreciation remarks.

“Having the support and expertise of [diving] coaching staff (Caputi and Abbi Schenklel), this team has not only been successful, but all three of us have had the privilege of watching and being a part of these young people’s lives,” Kear said. “We have created a close knit family-like unit.”

Team members range from 5 to 18 years old. As they enthusiastically applauded, the team’s new head swim coach Edgar Perez received accolades from Smith for leading the team with “enthusiasm and expertise.” Smith said she hoped Perez will prolong the tradition of coaches’ decades of commitment to the team. (A former swim coach Keenan Deegan retired after 23 years of tenure with the team.)

“We have beginner to year-round swimmers here,” Perez said. “Everyone improved and took advantage of different styles of coaching and learned many swim techniques.”

The team's assistant coaches are Greg and Nick Charriez and Emma Forbes, all varsity swimmers at their respective colleges. Forbes is a Putnam Valley High School graduate. The rest of the swim and dive assistant coaches all trained and grew up with the team.

“They are very vocal, very hands-on coaches that get in the water, trying to individualize,” Perez said of them. “It’s a big team, but every day, we spoke to each swimmer.”

Greg Charriez started his swim training in Yorktown, so returning as an assistant coach is "a big deal" for him and an opportunity to give back to the team.

Working and volunteering alongside these coaches is a crew of junior coaches, 13 to 18-year olds, who remain an extra hour after their practice sessions to teach younger swimmers. 

“The mentoring of the older divers helps the younger divers push through any fear they might have when trying a new dive,” Kear said.

This coaching program encourages younger swimmers to stay on the team as they aspire to eventually become junior coaches, and the younger swimmers looks up to their senior peers.

“The kids love that their fellow swimmers help them with their strokes and keep them motivated,” Perez said.

Ten-year old MVP and breaststroke swimmer Kaitlyn Phelan is a testament to the effectiveness of the coaching system. When asked what her favorite part of the swim team is, she said, “The coaches…and my friends.”

Parents pour in time as board members (treasurer Margaret Gspurning, Jennifer Zaslaw, Michele Rabasco) and as committee members with responsibilities that include ribbon writing, scoring, and managing the concession stand. Retiring president Michele Charriez was honored at the breakfast for her service to the team as the board president since 2006.

Even for this extraordinary team, dual meets are not always won and championships do not consistently bring home the biggest trophy. But Yorktown’s team spirit has remained indomitable, and Perez said that cheering grew louder at each meet this season.

“The team spirit might even be more important than winning,” said 16-year old Taylor Palumbo, the recipient of this year’s Team Spirit award. “That’s why I try to continue to be a role model to these younger kids and get them involved and really enjoy the team.”

2011 Yorktown Swim and Dive Team Awards

Divers

Most Improved Female - Miki Ostrofsky, Madelana Wrubel

Most Improved Male - Michael Walsh

Most Valuable Diver- Abi Winsted

Coaches Award - Rachel Belanga

Swimmers

MVP 8 and under - Emma Halderman, Steven Macaluso
MVP 10 and under - Kaitlyn Phelan, Van Edelman
MVP 12 and under - Katie Zaslaw, Nick Rabadi
MVP 14 and under - Joanne Mante, Marcel Legros
MVP 18 and under - Jessica Yuan, Daniel Fay

Most Improved - Delaney Killeen, Sam Coniglio
H2O Award - Emily Lederman
Team Spirit - Taylor Palumbo