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Atomic City Aquatic Club competitors had a remarkable autumn season and are prepared to embrace the new year.
In Autumn 2024, the squad participated in four fiercely contested meets, achieving remarkable swims and individual victories.
Red Piranhas Kick-off
In September, 35 swimmers took part in the two-day Red Piranhas Kick-off held in Morristown. In total, the team secured 47 first-place finishes, 39 second-place finishes, and 24 third-place finishes. Notable moments from this meet included:
- Emmy Zimmer (14), Jude Sayler (9), and Mateo Volcansek (12) garnered the most points for ACAC;
- Celeste Gallo (14), Jude Sayler (9), and Hadley Sanders (11) experienced significant time reductions, with Celeste enhancing her swims by nearly three minutes, Jude cutting down more than two and a half minutes, and Hadley improving her previous times by over one minute.
“Triumph in swimming relies on persistent effort and individual development,” stated ACAC Interim Head Coach Chris Franklin. “Every stroke, every lap, and every hurdle encountered in practice adds to the larger goal. It’s the diligence and commitment exerted today that builds the groundwork for tomorrow’s successes.”
As they got ready for further autumn competitions, the team concentrated on maintaining consistency in their training sessions.
Barracuda Swim Club Pumpkin Patch Meet
Over 30 athletes from ACAC participated in the Pumpkin Patch Meet in Kingsport during October. The team collected 19 first-place finishes, 17 second-place finishes, and 11 third-place finishes. Highlights of this meet comprised:
- Dorian Volcansek (14), Emmy Zimmer (14), and Sophie Volcansek (12) accumulated the highest points for ACAC;
- Jude Sayler (9), Lucas Rhea (12), Annie Springer (11), and Lylah Martin (14) each improved their times by over 30 seconds in previous swims.
Tennessee Aquatics Fall Classic
In November, 46 ACAC swimmers competed at the Tennessee Aquatics Fall Classic in Knoxville. More than a dozen teams from Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia came together for an intense weekend of competition. With hundreds of participants, the Fall Classic is among the largest meets ACAC attended during the short course season.
The squad returned home with three first-place finishes, five second-place finishes, and seven third-place finishes.
During this competition, numerous ACAC swimmers achieved Southeastern Swimming Championships cuts, the next tier of championship swimming:
- Charlie Houston (18): 200 Butterfly;
- Emmy Zimmer (14): 100 Butterfly;
- Mateo Volcansek (12): 50 Freestyle;
- Dorian Volcansek (14): 500 Freestyle and 1000 Freestyle;
- Dustin Luo (10): 100 Butterfly; and
- Alex Guglielmo: 50 Backstroke.
To get ready for the squad’s final competition of 2024, Coach Franklin emphasized robust practices and a tapered strategy to ensure athletes were in optimal shape.
“Tapering is a vital stage in preparing for a significant meet – it’s about enabling the body to recuperate, reconstruct, and peak at the appropriate time,” stated Franklin. “When athletes merge effective training with strategic rest, they reveal their true capabilities.”
The team witnessed those training results manifest at the Excel Meet of Champions.
Excel Meet of Champions
Another substantial event, the Meet of Champions in Nashville, offers many athletes the chance to swim heats in the morning and potentially qualify for finals if they place in the top 16 of their events. Overall, the team came away with seven first-place finishes, five second-place finishes, and seven third-place finishes. Out of the 27 athletes who participated, 26 attained personal bests in at least one race, and several competitors improved their times in every event. Five swimmers qualified for the Southeastern Swimming Championships:
- Amelia Carrell (13): 100 Freestyle and 50 Freestyle;
- Emily Dubes (17): 100 Backstroke;
- Sam Duby (14): 500 Freestyle and 200 Backstroke;
- Sophia Guglielmo (12): 100 Butterfly and 50 Butterfly; and
- Charlie Houston (18): 400 Individual Medley.
ACAC will begin 2025 with two additional chances for athletes to compete and attempt to qualify for the Southeastern Swimming Championships. Next up is the Tennessee Aquatics Speedo Winter Invite in mid-January, followed by the Baylor Region 2 Championships in mid-February.
“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments achieved by our swimmers,” remarked Coach Franklin. “Their commitment, discipline, and effort have resulted in some genuinely extraordinary successes. However, this marks merely the start. We’ve established a strong base and there remains ample potential to explore.”
ACAC is a continuous competitive swim squad providing top-notch professional coaching and technique education for all age groups and skill levels. The team’s objective is to grant every participant the chance to enhance swimming abilities and attain success according to his or her proficiency, ranging from beginner to international athlete. Those keen to discover more about Atomic City Aquatic Club are encouraged to visit www.swim4acac.com or reach out via [email protected].
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