Congratulations to all IST swimmers and families for a fantastic weekend of fast swimming.  IST swimmers placed 5^th out of 121 teams last weekend at the Northwest Age Group Sectional swim meet at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, WA.  In all a total of 1255 athletes from 121 teams from Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming traveled to compete at the aquatic center in Federal Way.  The pool was cold but Sockeye Swimmers were hot!

The meet was long and exhausting but IST swimmers, parents and coaches persevered through stiff competition and delivered some stellar performances.  As a staff we are always excited to see our swimmers compete at such a high level and we couldn't be more proud of the effort our swimmers exemplified as well as the results our swimmers achieved this past weekend.  Needless to say the meet was fast; very fast.  Not only did our swimmers step up in competition but IST swimmers also stepped up as a swimming family.  The team cheering and camaraderie was outstanding!  There wasn't a race go by that IST didn't have a cheering section.  As coaches we love that!  It was awesome to see so many of our athletes actually take pride in not only their own swims but also swims of their teammates.  IST is a one-of-a-kind team and that was truly evident this weekend.  IST as a team sent 48 swimmers to the meet.  That number alone shows how many dedicated swimmers we have to achieving excellence for themselves and for the IST family.  IST staff is also very proud to see so many swimmers come and join in our relays to compete as a family and compete well in supporting our entire team.   Contributions from our 9 year olds all the way through our 18 year olds made this a truly amazing meet for all IST families involved.  Congrats to everybody again on a wonderful weekend.

Coach Ryan

One important thought I have to reflect on was how close the score was between 4^th and 5^th place.  IST women placed 4^th overall and IST men placed 7^th overall.  If you add it all up: IST was 5^th overall and only 1.5 Points from 4^th place.  Coach Ty and I just fell to the floor when we heard the final score.  The staff knew it was going to be close so we rallied our swimmers and made a heroic last stand to score as many points as possible on that last day.....just 2 short!  In the wake of two exhausting previous days of competition the staff was proud to see IST swimmers perform so valiantly on that last day.  Needless to say IST earned their highest placement ever and all IST swimmers performed their best and made all of their coaches, teammates and parents proud.

IST swimmers had 4 individual swimmers win 7 events; 1 relay winner and 36 swimmers placed in the top 8 in both individual events and relays (twice as many as last year).  IST swimmers broke 1 PNS record; 8 IST records; 1 Northwest Age Group Meet record, in addition to earning 3 individual National Age Group Recognition Top 10 Times. IST swimmers also achieved 1 Short Course Nationals standard; 3 NCSA Junior National Standards; 17 Senior Sectional Standards as well as 25 2008 Western Zone Automatic standards.  Additionally the IST staff would like to congratulate Katie Kinnear for winning the High Point award for 13 year old girls.  Katie won 3 events and placed 2^nd in 3 events. Congrats Katie!  Also placing very well in the High point race was 12 yr old Maria Volodkevich.  Maria placed 2^nd in her age group.

Team Records:

Katie Kinnear:                      
13-14 Girls              50 BK              27.73                      
13-14 Girls              50 FLY            26.26 (100 FLY split)                           
13-14 Girls              100 FLY          56.39  Nat'l Age Group Top Ten Time                 

Maria Volodkevich:
11-12 Girls              50 BR                      31.62 (100 BR Split)
11-12 Girls              100 BR                    1:08.03
11-12 Girls              200BR                     2:26.75    Nat'l Age Group Top Ten Time 

13-14 Girls:
200FR Relay                                        1:41.75
Katie Kinnear, Kayla Flaten, Kaela Nurmi, Stacy Maier
400FR Relay                                        3:44.40
Nina Zook, Stacy Maier, Kayla Flaten, Katie Kinnear

PNS Record:
Maria Volodkevich
11-12 Girls              200 BR                    2:26.75 (Breaks 13 year old Record)

National Age Group Top Ten Time
Katie Kinnear        200 FLY  2:06.82

Northwest Age Group Sectional Record:
Katie Kinnear:
13 Girls                   100 FLY  56.39 (only .02 off of the PNS record)

2008 Western Zone Team Automatic Qualified Standards:
13-14 Girls
Kara Beauchamp: 100BR, 200BR, 400IM
Katie Kinnear: 50FR, 100FR, 200FR, 200BK, 100FLY, 200FLY, 200IM
Maria Volodkevich: 100BR, 200BR, 200IM
13-14 Boys
Logan Briggs: 100BK, 200BK
15-16 Girls
Nina Zook: 200BR, 200FLY, 200IM, 400IM
Nicole Lecoq: 200BK
15-16 Boys
Michael Rochford: 100BK, 200BK
17-18 Girls
Kate Haase: 100FLY, 200FLY
17-18 Boys
Bradley Chi: 100BK, 200BK

Senior Sectional Qualifiers:
Kara Beauchamp: 100BR, 200BR
Logan Briggs: 200BK
Bradley Chi: 200BK
Katie Kinnear: 50FR, 100FR, 200FR, 100FLY, 200FLY, 200IM, 200BK
Michael Rochford: 100BK, 200BK
Maria Volodkevich: 100BR, 200BR
Nina Zook: 200FLY, 200IM

NCSA Junior National Qualifier:
Katie Kinnear: 50FR, 100FLY, 200FLY

December USA Swimming Short Course National Qualifier:
Katie Kinnear: 100FLY

Individual Event Winners:
Kara Beauchamp: 14 yr old girls 200BR
Katie Kinnear: 13 yr old girls 100FLY, 200BK, 200IM
Jacob Leahy: 10 & under boys 50FLY
Maria Volodkevich: 12 yr old girls 100BR, 200BR

Relay Event Winners:
10 & under Boys 200FR Relay: (Connor Broughton, Ben Gore, Benjamin Cape, Jacob Leahy)

Individual Event Medalists (Top 3):
Jacob Leahy: 10 & under Boys: 50BK(2^nd), 50FLY(Event Champion)
Maria Volodkevich: 12 yr old Girls: 200IM(3^rd), 100BR(Event Champion), 100IM(2^nd), 200BR(Event Champion)
Katie Kinnear: 13 yr old Girls: 200BK(Event Champion), 200IM(Event Champion), 200FLY(2^nd), 200FR(2^nd), 100FLY(Event Champion), 100FR(2^nd)
Kara Beauchamp: 14 yr old Girls: 200BR(Event Champion)
Nicole Lecoq: 15-18 Girls: 200BK(3^rd)
Michael Rochford: 15-18 Boys: 100BK(3^rd), 200BK(2^nd)

Relay Event Medalists (Top 3):
10 & under Girls 200FRR 2^nd Place:
Mackenna Briggs, Kourtney Brunnings, Alysse Merila, Sasha Smerekenych
10 & under Boys 200FRR; Event Champion:
Connor Broughton, Ben Gore, Benjamin Cape, Jacob Leahy
10 & under Boys 200MR; 2^nd Place
Benjamin Cape, Connor Broughton, Jacob Leahy, Benjamin Cape
15-18 Boys 200MR; 2^nd Place
Bradley Chi, James Harrang, Will Baker, Austin Briggs
15-18 Boys 400MR: 2^nd Place
Michael Rochford, James Harrang, Will Baker, Bradley Chi

Individual Event Finalists (Top 8):
Mackenna Briggs (10): 50BK(7^th)
Ben Gore (9): 200IM(8^th), 50FLY(5^th), 100IM(5^th), 100FLY(5^th)
Jacob Leahy (9): 50FLY(1^st), 50BK(2^nd)
Maria Volodkevich (12): 50FR(4^th), 200IM(3^rd), 100BR(1^st), 100IM(2^nd), 200BR(1^st), 100FR(4^th)
Katie Kinnear (13): 200BK(1^st), 200IM(1^st), 200FLY(2^nd), 200FR(2^nd), 100FLY(1^st), 100FR(2^nd)
Stacy Maier (13): 500FR(6^th), 200FR(6^th)
Kara Beauchamp (14): 100BR(6^th), 400IM(7^th), 200BR(1^st)
Nina Zook (14): 200IM(7^th), 200FLY(4^th), 200BR(8^th)
Logan Briggs (14): 200BK(4^th), 500FR(4^th), 400IM(8^th), 100BK(5^th)
Kate Haase (16):500FR(6^th), 200FLY(7^th), 100FLY(5^th)
Nicole Lecoq (15): 200BK(3^rd)
Bradley Chi (17): 200BK(4^th)
Michael Rochford (15): 200BK(2^nd), 400IM(6^th), 100BK(3^rd)

Relay Event Finalists (Top 8):
10 & under Girls 200FR Relay 2^nd  
Mackenna Briggs, Kourtney Brunnings, Alysse Merila, Sasha Smerekanych
10 & under Girls 200 Medley Relay 4^th
Mackenna Briggs, Kourtney Brunnings, Sasha Smerekanych, Alysse Merila
10 & under Boys 200FR Relay; Event Champion!
Connor Broughton, Ben Gore, Benjamin Cape, Jacob Leahy
10 & under Boys 200 Medley Relay; 2^nd
Benjamin Cape, Connor Broughton, Jacob Leahy, Benjamin Cape
11-12 Girls 200 Medley Relay 8^th
Nina Dipboye, Maria Volodkevich, Yui Umezawa, Kayla Dimicco
13-14 Girls 400 Medley Relay 5th
Nina Zook, Kara Beauchamp, Katie Kinnear, Stacy Maier
13-14 Girls 200FR Relay 4^th
Katie Kinnear, Kayla Flaten, Kaela Nurmi, Stacy Maier
13-14 Girls 400FR Relay 4th
Nina Zook, Stacy Maier, Kayla Flaten, Katie Kinnear
13-14 Girls 200 Medley Relay 5^th
Katie Kinnear, Kara Beauchamp, Nina Zook, Kayla Flaten
13-14 Boys 400 Medley Relay 8th
Logan Briggs, Alex Marber, David Jett, Ben Allen
13-14 Boys 200 Medley Relay 8^th
Logan Briggs, Alex Marber, David Jett, Ben Allen
15-18 Girls 200FR Relay 6th
Kate Haase, Nicole Lecoq, Michela Lecoq, Jordan Lee
15-18 Girls 200 Medley Relay 7^th
Nicole Lecoq, Michela Lecoq, Kate Haase, Jordan Lee
15-18 Boys 200FR Relay 4th
Austin Briggs, Michael Rochford, Jay Farber, Bradley Chi
15-18 Boys 400 Medley Relay 2^nd
Michael Rochford, James Harrang, Will Baker, Bradley Chi
15-18 Boys 200 Medley Relay 2^nd
Bradley Chi, James Harrang, Will Baker, Austin Briggs
15-18 Boys 400FR Relay 6^th
Austin Briggs, Will Baker, Michael Rochford, Bradley Chi

IST Swimmers Ranked in the top 25 in the Nation for competition period 9/1/07-8/31/08 SHORT COURSE YARDS
KATIE KINNEAR: 13 YEAR OLD GIRLS
50FR: 16^TH
100FR: 25^TH
200IM: 21^ST
200BK: 25^TH
100FLY: 4^TH
200FLY: 14^TH

MARIA VOLODKEVICH: 12 YEAR OLD GIRLS
50BREAST: 11th
100BREAST:  11th
200BREAST: 6th
100IM: 11th
200IM: 25th

That's all SOCKEYES!

Coach Ryan