Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1995 TAG: 9501180039
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
SWAT invited top swim teams from Western Virginia and North Carolina. Then the team coached by BILL BEECHER and JAMES WOLFLE went out and beat every one of them to claim the championship in the 1995 New Years Invitational at the Virginia Tech Pool in Blacksburg.
Pulaski-based SWAT amassed 1,496 points, more than 100 more than the runners-up, the Roanoke Valley Gators. To do that, the Southwest Aquatic Team got help from swimmers in every age group, including many of the younger swimmers with limited competition experience.
Nearly 50 swimmers won medals for finishing in the top three in an event or relay, including 19 who captured at least one first-place medal.
The winners for SWAT were:
In the Boys 8 Division, PAUL MOORE won the 50-meter freestyle and the 25 backstroke; DANNY DARVALICS won the 50 breast stroke and BRIAN SCHEID won the 25 breast stroke.
In the Boys 10 Division, WILL BRUNNER won the 50-meter freestyle, the 100 freestyle, the 50 backstroke, the 10 backstroke, the 50 butterfly, the 100 butterfly and was on the victorious 200 medley relay team; WILLIAM NEWCOMB won the 100 breast stroke, the 100 individual medley and was on the victorious 200 medley relay team; and TOMMY EVANS and GRANT THROCKMORTON were on the winning 200 medley relay team.
In the Boys 11, COLE THROCKMORTON won the 200-meter individual medley and the 50 breast stroke.
In the Boys 13, ROBERT NEWCOMB won the 100-meter butterfly.
In the Boys Seniors, MARK STONE won the 100-meter freestyle; WHIT HUGHSTON won the 200 backstroke; and GRAHAM GRAVLEY won the 500 freestyle, the 200 butterfly and the 100 butterfly.
In the Girls 11, EUNICE KIM won the 50-meter breast stroke, the 100 breast stroke and the 50 butterfly.
In the Girls 12, SUSANNA GILMORE was part of the victorious 200-meter medley relay team.
In the Girls 13, BETSY GARRATT won the 200-meter butterfly, the 200 breast stroke and was on the 200 medley relay team; ELLEN DORSEY and CHRISTY CHAVIS were on the 200 medley relay team.
In the Girls Seniors, JAMIE ROGERS won the 500-meter freestyle; Garratt won the 200 breast stroke, the 200 butterfly and the 400 individual medley.
MORE WATER SPORTS: Virtually rewriting the Blacksburg Sunfish record book earned Brunner, 10, the honor of Swimmer of the Month for December.
Brunner has set records in the 50-meter freestyle (28.86 seconds), 100 freestyle (1 minute, 3.12 seconds), 200 freestyle (2:17.07) and the 100 butterfly (1:12.93) for both SWAT and the Sunfish. He was on the 200 freestyle relay team that set a SWAT record (2:00.75). And he set records for the Sunfish in the 50 backstroke (34.07), 100 backstroke (1:12.97), 100 individual medley (1:16.05) and 200 individual medley (2:41.38).
Also, while swimming with SWAT at the Christmas Invitational in Pittsburgh, Brunner placed in the top eight in six of his nine events.
"Will is a great all-around athlete who excels in every sport he does," said MAGGIE ONEY, who coaches the younger swimmers for the Sunfish. "He's a great leader in practice, since he has a really great work ethic. And he has developed a competitiveness in him that has really begun to rub off on the other swimmers."
SPIKES AND SERVES: Registration continues in Christiansburg for the adult volleyball league and clinics through Feb. 17.
The town offers five leagues: Coed Church A, Coed Church B, Coed Open, Women's Open and Men's Open. The cost is $75 per team, plus a $10 fee for each nonresident on the roster.
The clinics will cover techniques for setting, severing and spiking. The cost is $10 for residents and $20 for nonresidents.
Sign-ups for youth volleyball leagues and clinics get under way Monday. There will be three coed leagues: Minor (ages 9-11 as of June 1), Major (ages 12-14) and High School (ages 15-18). The cost is $8 for town residents and $13 for non-residents.
Clinics also will be offered for each age group on March 12. The cost is $3 for town residents and $8 for nonresidents.
Registration for the youth programs runs through Feb. 24.
For more information, call CHUCK MUNCY, supervisor of athletics, at 382-2349.
CONTINUING CLASSES: The Radford Department of Parks and Recreation offers classes in karate and aerobics.
The karate classes are for adults and youths. MARK MCFARLAND teaches Taekwon-Do, the Korean art of self-defense, at the recreation department Tuesday and Thursday. Beginners classes are 5-6 p.m., intermediate classes 6-7 p.m. The cost is $25 per month.
Aerobics classes are offered in the morning and evening.
In the morning, there is low-impact class Monday through Wednesday at 10-11 a.m. at the recreation department. The cost is $10 per month and pre-registration is required. The class is taught by FRANCES WITT.
In the evening, two step classes are set for Monday through Thursday. Class space is limited, so early registration is recommended.
At 6-7 p.m., there is a class at Genesis Aerobic & Martial Arts at Third and Wadsworth streets. The cost is $15 per month; registration is taken at the class, which is taught by SHIRLEY GENTRY.
At 7-8 p.m., there is a class at the recreation department. The cost is $10 per month; registration is taken at the recreation offices. The class is taught by LILLY MORTON.
RACING TO THE DEADLINE:Friday is the last day to sign up for the trip to the Goodwrench 500, sponsored by the Christiansburg Department of Parks and Recreation.
The race takes place in Rockingham, N.C., on Feb. 26. The cost of $80 includes race ticket and transportation.
For more information, call ART PRICE, director of parks and recreation, or CHUCK MUNCY, supervisor of athletics, at 382-2349.
by CNB