THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996 TAG: 9601300125
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Brett Varga moved through the water like a blond-haired amphibian. His strokes broke the surface of the water at the Bow Creek Recreation Center pool, leaving bubbles in his wake.
His father, Bill, watched from outside the glass enclosure - a smile of pride forming on his face.
``I taught Brett to swim and he has practiced quite a bit in the last year,'' dad said.
Bill hopes that Brett will become the second Varga child to swim competitively. Brett, 6, is a kindergarten student at Alanton Elementary School. His brother, Travis, 8, entered the ranks of competitive swimmers three years ago.
On the other side of the pool, Cate Berenato, 7, worked on her strokes under the watchful eye of Jennifer LeBlanc.
LeBlanc works in aquatics for the Parks and Recreation Department. She worked with little girl swimmers while her co-worker, Eric Henniker, taught Brett and five others.
They are part of the Cudas swim team.
``We're trying to give the kids a well-rounded view of meets,'' said Henniker, ``to cover all aspects of what they'll face in competition.''
Schooling with the Cudas brings together students like Brett and Cate on Monday and Wednesday nights through Feb. 16. Two meets were planned since the program began earlier this month - including one on the final day of the program.
The classes were formed to improve techniques, teach new strokes and introduce the Cudas to competitive at an early age. These, in turn, will funnel the youngsters into swim leagues in a city that could become a center of swimming competition. About 300 youths from 7 to 15 swim in the recreation center leagues, Henniker said.
And Beach high schools took to the water this year for the first time in dual and citywide meets. Bill Varga, assistant principal at the city's Vocational-Technical Center, officiates some of the high school meets.
COLD TENNIS ANYONE? Long johns instead of tennis shorts will likely be the attire of choice at the annual Owl Creek Tennis Center Cupid Classic - a two-day round-robin doubles event scheduled for Feb. 10-11 at Owls Creek Municipal Tennis Center.
The competition is for adults and juniors above 15 and below 13.
For details on the Cupid Classic, call 437-4804. by CNB