Going for gold: Outer Banks swimmers motivate, dominate

Published 12:52 pm Wednesday, October 2, 2024

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Members of the Outer Banks Senior Games swim team, from left, are David “Dave” Henzler, Danielle Foster, Richard “Rick” Jones, Gracia DiPace, Kenneth “K. E.” Morgan, Laura Cortez, John Donlan, Harry Schiffman, Robert Trivette, Kathleen Morgan, Johanna Milchuck, Rita Ayers, Dave Tonneson, Lisa Minerich, Karen Anderson, Lloyd Minerich, Micheal Bryant and Brooke Kirk. Not pictured are Charles “Charlie” Erwin, Greg Florence, Brian Tress, John Wallace, George Whitwell and D. Law. Daryl Law photo

Sprinting for the wall, Dave Tonneson takes a breath during the freestyle leg of his 100-yard individual medley. He and Robert Trivette held several Sunday clinics for the Outer Banks swimmers who qualified for the finals. Daryl Law photo

Laura Cortez loads up for a great start in her 50-yard freestyle race. She placed sixth with a time of 38.96 seconds. Cortez also took sixth in 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 28.11 seconds. Daryl Law photo

Harry Schiffman continues to recruit new talent year-round for the Outer Banks Senior Games swim team. It was his birthday last Saturday and the team awarded him a signed card at the meet. Daryl Law photo

Karen Anderson sprints for the finish. Daryl Law photo

Dave Tonneson rests at the wall after finishing one of his many races at the Pullen Aquatics Center in Raleigh last Saturday. Most swimmers started from the blocks. Daryl Law photo

Karen Anderson catches her breath at the wall after finishing one of her races. Daryl Law photo

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The Outer Banks Swim Team dominated at the North Carolina Senior Games State Finals again this year during an all-day meet held at Pullen Aquatics Center in Raleigh on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The men’s team was the overall top point scorer with 415 points to claim first place over the field of 28 total teams, including ones from large population areas such as Wake, Greensboro and Cleveland.

The women’s team also excelled, scoring 242 points and placing second to Mecklenburg County with 303. Altogether, there were 20 women’s teams competing.

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Team recruiter and organizer Harry Schiffman was quick to point out, however, that if you total the two scores, the Outer Banks swimmers scored way more points than any other combined male/female teams.

“The results look pretty good,” he said. “They used the one through eight scoring so everybody that swam, even if they’re not one, two, three … everybody has a purpose.”

And that’s exactly what happened. Team members swam their hardest and posted plenty of points. It takes a big commitment of time and energy to swim at a competitive level and this crew pulled it off with flying colors.

The team members mostly practice on their own at Outer Banks Family YMCA in Nags Head year-round. There’s a qualifying meet in the spring and the finals each September.

Many of the swimmers also attended numerous clinics there offered by coaches Dave Tonneson and Robert Trivette this past summer on Sunday afternoons.

Their expertise in basic stroke mechanics, race starts off the blocks, turns and finishes went a long way in improving the teams’ performance.

Tonneson and Trivette, a pair of former collegiate swimmers, also personally excelled with multiple first places in the final meet as did Schiffman – it was also his birthday!

Additional first place winners were John Wallace, David Henzler, George Whitwell and Greg Florence. Henzler and Whitwell swam together in the 1990s in New York, they noted.

For the women, Danielle Foster, Johanna Milchuck, Lisa Minerich, Rita Ayers and Karen Anderson racked in some serious points for firsts and seconds.

Additional contributing swimmers were Richard “Rick” Jones, John Donlan, Gracia DiPace, Kenneth “K. E.” Morgan, Kathleen Morgan, Rita Ayers, Lloyd Minerich, Micheal Bryant, Brooke Kirk, Laura Cortez and Daryl Law.

In his mind, Schiffman said every one of the Senior Games athletes across the state were winners because they did something positive for their health.

“The object of the Senior Games is to get people out and off the couch!” he said. “Swim for their health, that’s the deal, that’s the gold medal!”

Schiffman recruits all athletes who look good swimming laps at the 25-meter indoor “Y” pool. He’s not shy about asking people to sign up.

Again, Schiffman was happy about the finals scoring formula because even if you’re not the fastest one in the pool, your efforts still count.

“When I recruit people, they say ‘I’m not the greatest swimmer,'” Schiffman said. “Hey, we’re not all elite swimmers but even average swimmers like me matter (for the scoring).”

He noted that two Outer Banks swimmers didn’t make it to Raleigh this year due to personal reasons, Charles “Charlie” Erwin and Brian Tress. They were missed, he said, and Trivette agreed.

“Great team effort and win,” he said. “We were missing a couple of important swimmers – Charlie and Brian.

“Everyone swam their guts out,” Trivette said. “It was impressive and exciting to watch – this is such a fun group.”

The meet featured 31 events with multiple heats and 10 separate age groups such as 50 to 54, 55 to 59 and so on. First, second and third place winners were awarded medals shortly after their events. It concluded with the grueling 500-yard swim.

Everyone who wanted one was given a red and gold commemorative lapel pin that celebrates the event’s 40th anniversary. Lisa Minerich gave all her OBX Senior Swim Team members royal blue quick dry rally towels with the message: “Swimming for Fun, Health and Team Points.”

For the official results, go to ncseniorgames.org/results-by-event and click on swimming times and/or team scores.

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