THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412160267
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
KAREN LAMOUREUX HAS DIVED into the history books.
On Dec. 2, she and hundreds of other Beach swimmers became the first to participate in a swim meet pitting teams from Beach District high schools.
In a joint effort between the schools and the Parks and Recreation Department, the 10 high schools divided into clubs to compete in the first of several meets at the recreation center pools. Swimming will become a varsity sport in 1995, with the high schools competing head to head against each other.
A Cox sophomore, Lamoureux, 16, swam in four events for the Great Neck club composed of swimmers from her school and First Colonial. Great Neck competed against the Princess Anne club featuring swimmers from Salem, Ocean Lakes and Kellam, at the Princess Anne Community Recreation Center pool.
Swimmers from Princess Anne, Bayside and Green Run High Schools joined forces to form the Bayside club. They swam against the Kempsville club, the combined teams from Kempsville and Tallwood High Schools at the Bayside rec center pool.
``I used to swim for (the Old Dominion Aquatic Club) 3 1/2 years ago,'' said Lamoureux. ``I began swimming competitively when I was 8, and I swim for Broad Bay Country Club during the summer.''
Lamoureux, also a straight-A student, decided to cut back her time in the pool to concentrate on other activities, like track and field hockey.
``Karen works so hard, she's very dedicated,'' Cox swim coach Kim McCanna said.
She doesn't tire easily, either. She swam the 200-meter individual medley, the 100-meter butterfly, the 400-meter freestyle and the 200-meter medley relay for the winning Great Neck girls team. She took two firsts and two seconds in the four events, helping the girls team to 160-122 victory over the Princess Anne club.
Adam Chissler led the Princess Anne boys to a 151-108 win over Great Neck. Chissler took first in the 100-meter backstroke and butterfly individual events and two more firsts in the 200-meter medley and freestyle relays.
``We got clobbered,'' Bayside coach Dave Monkman said of Kempsville's 177-87 win over the Bayside boys. The Kempsville girls won by a score of 184-95.
``If they'd stopped the meet at the halfway point, we'd have done all right. But, I think the score is secondary, especially this year. Most of our swimmers are inexperienced, many of them only freshmen. . . .
``We want to keep it fun, so they will stick with it.''
Monkman is one of three high school coaches who work with the Bayside club. Jeff Noss of Princess Anne and Dave Oakes of Green Run are the others.
Monkman cited the fine performances of three girl swimmers as a positive portent. Gina Riccio won the 200-meter freestyle, Samantha Olive took the 50-meter freestyle and Brenda Jones captured the 100-meter breaststroke.
``Many of our kids got real good times, despite the loss,'' said Monkman. ``Some cut 15 seconds per 50 meters off their previous best times.
``I'm real proud of them.''
The high school club meets will continue each Friday through February 3 at the recreation center pools. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY EDWARDS
For the inaugural meet, swimmers from Princess Anne, Bayside and
Green Run high schools joined forces to form the Bayside club. They
swam against the Kempsville club, the combined teams from Kempsville
and Tallwood high schools at the Bayside rec center pool.
Cox High sophomore Karen Lamoureux, 16, swam in four events for the
Great Neck club, composed of swimmers from her school and First
Colonial. Great Neck competed against the Princess Anne club,
featuring swimmers from Salem, Ocean Lakes and Kellam, at the
Princess Anne Community Recreation Center.
by CNB