Hannah McDonald texted from her home on Saturday morning that she would have given her right arm to be swimming the 100 butterfly for herself and her team mates. She worked so hard and was ready to bust out. She missed qualifying by .02 seconds due to that illness. She and her fellow seniors, Samantha Vogt and Erica Gammill, worked so hard and were great leaders and examples for the under-classmen. They showed sometimes it doesn’t go your way but you still make a big difference in the seasons’ outcome. Sometimes you are the 10thman on the BBall team and you don’t get in to contribute in the championship game. However, what would the team be without your work ethic in practice pushing the eventual starters to practice harder and stay on the right track? God bless these 3 girls and their families for being integral parts of our success.
Our lone representative in the 100 Free was Holly Hanson. She moved up from 6th to 5th place and established herself as a real force in Kansas sprinting. We appreciate her coach-ability. She is gifted physically but also brings her work ethic from her family and basketball experice to work and learn and be a great team mate. 
In the 500 Free we knew that Sara Lopez would win and break the school record. She was touched out to get second place but did break the school record in a time of 5:04.25. There is some lesson in here but I think Sara will have to tell us that in a year or two. We didn’t have another representative in the event so without her points we again would not have this 2nd place trophy. She is the best miler in the whole region in her age group but this 5 minute sprint just didn’t fall
her way on this day. After the momentary devastation, she collected herself with lots of support from her team mates and non-team mates alike.
She smiled on the podium while accepting her second place medal graciously. She pulled herself together for the very next event to anchor our 2nd place 200 freestyle Relay. She had our fastest split. She teamed up with Laila Carter, Holly Hansen, and Bri Bittel to come within 1 second of the school record.
We had Bri Bittel, Lexi Harmon, and Caroline Backs in the 100 backstroke. They got 11th, 12th, and 14th respectively. If they had a better coach they could have swum faster. I believe each capable of faster times but I just didn’t get them there. However, without their efforts here we wouldn’t have that trophy. Next year!!!
Our only representative in the 100 Breaststroke was freshman Laila Carter. She was 4th place and will just keep getting better and better. She could swim any number of events but is unquestionably our newcomer of the year. She knows she belongs in the finals of whatever she swims. She is graceful, inquisitive, confident, respectful, and thoughtful. She is a contributor to the team in more ways than just swimming. Like some other saints I could name, she never complained about putting in lane lines or cleaning up trash after meets.
By the time the 400 Free Relay rolled around, we had an idea that we were looking good for 2nd place as a team. Sara Lopez led off with a time that would have gotten 5th place in the 100 free. Holly Hanson repeated her best time. Caroline Backs is so classy in her grit and determination to be a money swimmer that I would put her on any state relay that I needed to depend on. Her split would have gotten her 8th place in the open 100 free. Finally, Lexi Harmon brought home 3rd place as anchor of that relay.
Lexi has been a great contributor to our success, in spite of being diagnosed w Epilepsy less than a year ago. She has had some seizures that seem to be brought on by morning exercise and fatigue and illness. At the first practice of the year she had the strength of her own esteem to stand up in front of her team mates and explain her situation. It is great to live in 2013 and have a young lady expose herself to her fellow teen agers and say this is who I am, this is what I deal with, be aware, help me if I need it. We all appreciate her courage and contributions to our success and pray for this thing to just go away. We appreciate the dinner the Harmons hosted at Godfathers mid-season and the friendship that has begun. We know it isn’t easy but please accept our love and prayers. Thanks for letting us grow and learn with you. 
I want to also list our non-scoring sisters who contributed to the support that we see as swimming with the current rather than against it. These ladies, in most cases, had best times but didn’t make finals. Erica Gammill, Samantha Vogt, Hannah McDonald, Hannah Ney, Julia Jenkins, and Kelsey Hillyer. These great ladies make this the great team that it is. You cannot put a price on this experience compared to club swimming. It is completely and totally different from that. As the years roll on we won’t always remember who scored the most points. We will remember how we thought right toward each other and cooperated to this victorious journey.
This wrap up is about Saturday’s State meet, the conclusion of a long journey. So many parents gave so much. Especially this weekend, Larry Backs brought us all together as parents to treat the girls to some rock solid deep support. From the sign on the North entrance to the school on Saturday morning to the balloons and decorations at our team area at the pool, to the personalized parent letters delivered to the girls in the middle of the night before finals. Thanks Larry and Susan and everybody. The hotel was nice, the meals and travel was all first rate. Thanks to those who hosted team dinners, Marianne Mayer for signs on school lockers before meets, Thanks to Jill and Jeff Ney for the beautiful senior posters. Thanks to Coach Ashley Dower who is steady as a rock. God is good to all of us through all of you!!!
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Ks State Swim Finals today, Saturday May 18 Hummer Park Pool Topeka, 3pm
Hummer Sports Complex
2701 SW East Circle Dr. South, Ste. 1, Topeka, 66606
Events and qualifying positions going into today’s finals:
1) 200 Medley Relay Caroline Backs, Laila Carter, Bri Bittel, Lexi Harmon 3rd
2) 200 Free Sara Lopez 1st
3) 200 Individual Medley Caroline Backs 8th, Taylor Hagge 14th
4) 50 Free Holly Hanson 5th, Laila Carter 10th, Bri Bittel 13th
5) Cameron Oddo won a 4th place medal yesterday for finishing 4th in diving.
7) 100 Free Holly Hanson 6th
8) 500 Free Sara Lopez 1st
9) 200 Medley Relay Laila Carter, Holly Hanson, Bri Bittel, Sara Lopez 2nd
10) 100 Back Bri Bittel 10th, Lexi Harmon 11th, Caroline Backs 12th
11) 100 Breaststroke Laila Carter 4th
12) 400 Free Relay Sara Lopez, Holly Hanson, Caroline Backs, Lexi Harmon 3rd
We are proud of our girls and thankful to our God, our families, and our school. WE are preparing to improve our personal best times one event at a time and enjoy each other along the way.
p.s.
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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151433635202503&set=vb.94562608193&type=2&theater
First, let me say that we are generally happy and proud about the way we swam yesterday. Sometimes when we list places and somebody is a winner then that means somebody else is a loser. As you know, my favorite saying by Mr. Anonymous is: “Competition is not so much a way to compare our gifts as a way to celebrate them.”
Our places are not necessarily a gage of success in that we did not swim against bad competition. We swam against the team that will win our 5A State title this year in Blue Valley Southwest. We also swam against BVNorthwest and BVNorth who will place in the top 6 at the 6A State Championship.
I can tell you that we are proud of ourselves for doing our best on Saturday. We know that we can and will do better. We will improve Monday at our last chance meet, and at our State meet in Topeka May 16-May 18. I loved how our girls prepared to compete and took one event at a time. I love how our relay teams are coming together and starting to realize what it looks like when they do that. I love how our individuals accept responsibilities for blocking everybody else out and efficiently executing their races from block to wall. Then, I also love how they handle themselves, regardless.
Yes, I wanted Sara to beat that girls in the 200 free because she is such a great lady. But I also wanted Hannah and Kelsey and Julia and Cameron and Carole and Karley to have their best times and place but they didn’t. But they moved on and climbed the blocks again and committed to do things fundamentally correct again. I love that about them and about swimming and diving. I also hated not having all of our girls with us. Hopefully we will be at full strength for State.
On Saturday we had a lot of best times. That is what we are always looking for, personal bests. However, how we think when we don’t get bests determines how long it will be before we do. In the next few days we will be putting the final pieces in our puzzle to be judged at State.
Our swimmers will be judged under the same rules as every other swimmer in every state across the nation. Our girls who didn’t make qualifying times will be judged by their coach as to whether they are good team mates capable of thinking something bigger than themselves, of supporting their team mates. As you might have seen Brenda, our girls did a great job of supporting their teammates by cheering them on from the end of the pool. Were our non-competitive girls cheering them on from the stands? Are they making their plans to go to Topeka Friday May 17th at 3pm? That’s what I’m hoping for.
Women’s EKL Results 2013
Our women were 4th at this year’s Eastern Kansas League Championships held on Saturday at Blue Valley Southwest.
1) BVNW 342
2) BVSW 264
3) BVN 217
4) STA 177
5) BVW 139
6) BVH 120
7) Miege 46
200 Medley Relay Caroline Backs, Laila Carter, Bri Bittel, and Julia Jenkins 3rd Place
200 Free Sara Lopez 2 by .1 second, Hannah McDonald 13
200 Individual Medley Caroline Backs 8th Place, Taylor Hagge 13th
50 Free Laila Carter 4th, Holly Hanson 6th, Bri Bittle 7th
100 Fly Hannah McDonald 8th, Samantha Vogt 15th
100 Free Holly Hanson 7th
500 Free Sara Lopez 1st Place, Taylor Hagge
200 Free Relay Laila Carter, Holly Hanson, Caroline Backs, Sara Lopez 3rd Place
100 Back Bri Bittel 5th Place, Caroline Backs 10th Place, Samantha Vogt 13th Place, Karley Monaghan 15th
100 Breast Laila Carter 3rd Place, Julia Jenkins 6th Place, Kelsey Hilyer 14th Place
400 Free Relay Sara Lopez, Hannah McDonald, Holly Hanson, and Bri Bittel 4th Place
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Dual w Blue Valley North Tuesday April 23
Make plans to salute your senior saint swimmin’ women as they take on last years 4th place 6A powerhouse, Olathe East. About 4:15, Kelly Ebeling, Erica Gammill, Sara Lopez, Hannah McDonald, Moira Reilly, and Samantha Vogt, thank their parents for being their biggest fans, and we thank them for making the Aquinas Swim Team one of the best in the state.
Last night, our swimming women lost to 2012 6A 5th place finishers Blue Valley North 105 to 81. Event winners were Sara Lopez in the 200 and 500 free, and Caroline Backs in the 200 IM. The winning 400 Free Relay swimmers were Bri Bittel, Holly Hanson, Laila Carter, and Sara Lopez.
Second place finishers were Holly Hanson in the 50 free, Cameron Oddo in diving, Laila Carter in the 100 free and 100 breaststroke, and Bri Bittel in the 100 backstroke. Also, the Medley Relay team of Caroline Backs, Laila Carter, Bri Bittel, and Erica Gammill, and the 200 Free relay team of Holly Hanson, Caroline, Samantha Vogt, and Sara Lopez.
Please come to the swim meet Thursday at California Trails, 133rd and Pflumm, at 4pm.
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BVSW Timberwolves Invitational Saturday April 20, 2013
12 Teams- 1st Place BVSW 376, STA 2nd Place 289, 3rd place Topeka West 110
200 Medley Relay STA 2nd Place Lexi Harmon, Erica Gammill, Bri Bittel, Holly Hanson
200 Freestyle 1st Place Sara Lopez 5th Hannah McDonald
200 Individual Medley 5th Place Caroline Backs
50 Freestyle 3rd place tie Bri Bittel and Holly Hanson, 5th place Lexi Harmon
100 Butterfly 6th Place Hannah McDonald
100 Freestyle 3rd place Bri Bittel4th Place Holly Hanson, 6th place Karley Monaghan
500 Freestyle 1st place Sara Lopez, 5th place Taylor Hagge, 7th Place Hannah Ney
200 Free Relay 2nd Place Holly Hanson, Caroline Backs, Sara Lopez, and Erica Gammill
100 Backstroke 5th Place Lexi Harmon
100 Breaststroke 4th place Erica Gammill
400 Free Relay STA 2nd place Sara Lopez, Lexi Harmon, Caroline Backs, Bri Bittel
Next Up BV North Tuesday, Senior Night Thursday 4pm California Trails Middle School Olathe East
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Blue Valley Southwest 446
St Thomas Aquinas 403
Blue Valley West 309
Lexi Harmon, Erica Gammill, Bri Bittel, and Laila Carter were 2nd in the Medley Relay
Sara Lopez, Lexi Harmon, Caroline Backs, and Taylor Hagge were 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th respectively in the 200 Individual Medley.
Holly Hanson, Bri Bittel, and Erica Gammill placed 2nd, 3rd and 6th in the 50 freestyle.
Divers Cameron Oddo, Anna Biggins, Sara Gordon, and Joclyn Hunt were 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th.
In the 100 butterfly Sara Lopez was 3rd, Hannah McDonald 3rd, and Samantha Vogt 6th.
Freshmen Laila Carter and Lexi Harmon battled for 2nd and 3rd and Holly Hanson 5th in the 100 free.
6th place in the 500 free went to freshman Taylor Hagge and she made it look easy.
Our winners in the 200 free relay were Holly Hanson, Lexi Harmon, Erica Gammill, and Laila Carter.
Bri Bittel and Caroline Backs were 5th and 6th in the 100 backstroke
Laila Carter was 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, Erica Gammill 4th, and Kelsey Hilyer 6th.
Our 4th place 400 free relay was Holly Hanson, Caroline Backs, Hannah McDonald, and Bri Bittel.
Next up is the Timberwolves Swimming Invitational @ Blue Valley Southwest High School
Saturday, April 20, 2013 1:00 P.M.
Invited Schools: St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Miege, St. James Academy, Lansing, Blue Valley Southwest, Topeka West, Shawnee Mission South, Osawatomie/Paola, Shawnee Heights, Leavenworth, Mill Valley, De Soto, Bonner Springs, Bishop Seabury, Topeka Seaman
4 entries per individual event (no diving competition held) 2 relays per team
12 places will be scored for individual events and 1 relay per team will score.
Warm-ups: 11:00 – 11:30 Lane 1 St. Thomas Aquinas
12:30 – 12:50 Lanes 1 and 6 Pace
Lanes 2-5 Sprint
Spectator seating is in the balcony. Only coaches, officials, swimmers and managers allowed on deck.
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Tomorrow's meet is at 4pm until about 6pm Shawnee Mission East :
7500 Mission Rd Shawnee Mission, KS 66208
Everybody stays until the last swim is over.
Here is my note to the girls on facebook to say we are in the middle of it:
See you at dryland in the morning and don't forget your swim meet stuff. We get out at 2pm.
Thanks to Gammills, Hagges, Backs, Mayers, Neys, and Monaghans for the fantastic dinner at Gammill's house. We swim right through the next few meets, including tomorrow's meet against defending 6A champs SM East. Let's gain the respect of ourselves by concentrating on one responsibility at a time tomorrow, from dryland to class to enjoying your team mates, and one event at a time until the 400 free relay is over. Then you get your homework done, ready for a good Friday. Enjoy wigs out and meander to play day Friday afternoon for a little water polo, bball, dancing, bonding.
We've had a good week. Yes, Regular practice Saturday morning. 7am dryland and Frontier Trails until 9:30. Good luck w tonights' homework .
Everybody stays until the last swim is over.
Here is my note to the girls on facebook to say we are in the middle of it:
See you at dryland in the morning and don't forget your swim meet stuff. We get out at 2pm.
Thanks to Gammills, Hagges, Backs, Mayers, Neys, and Monaghans for the fantastic dinner at Gammill's house. We swim right through the next few meets, including tomorrow's meet against defending 6A champs SM East. Let's gain the respect of ourselves by concentrating on one responsibility at a time tomorrow, from dryland to class to enjoying your team mates, and one event at a time until the 400 free relay is over. Then you get your homework done, ready for a good Friday. Enjoy wigs out and meander to play day Friday afternoon for a little water polo, bball, dancing, bonding.
We've had a good week. Yes, Regular practice Saturday morning. 7am dryland and Frontier Trails until 9:30. Good luck w tonights' homework .
7500 Mission Rd Shawnee Mission, KS 66208
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Tonight we swam in the Olathe Invitational. As a team we were 10th out of 18 teams.
Our medley relay team was 9th but 8 of those relays were 6A teams. Lexi Harmon, Laila Carter, Hannah McDonald, Holly Hanson.
Bri Bittel and Lexi Harmon were 11th & 12th respectively.
Lexi Harmon, Bri Bittel, Erica Gammill and Laila Carter were 9th in the 200 Free Relay.
Laila Carter was our highest individually placing swimmer. She was 5th in the 100 Breaststroke.
All 3 of our relays qualified for the State meet. Bri, Lexi, and Holly all qualified in the 50 Free. Hannah McD & Laila in the 100 Fly. Bri in the 100 Free. Freshman Taylor Hagge qualified in the 500 Free. Lexi in the 100 Back. Laila in the 100 Breast.
Good Job Saints. Onward!!!
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April 5, 2013
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April 2, 2013
This Up-date is dedicated to Hannah McDonalds aunt who told me last night she appreciated the web page up-dates.
Hi Folks,
I was sure proud of the girls today. Blue Valley High won last years 5A State Championship and moved up to 6A. BVSW has some very good swimmers and a nice pool of their own. Our seniors did a great job of leading us in pre-meet prayers in the chapel.
Our medley relay team of freshmen Lexi Harmon and Laila Carter, senior Hannah McDonald, and sophomore Holly Hanson was second. Laila was second in the 200 IM and sophomore Caroline Backs was fourth. In the 50 free Lexi Harmon was second, junior Bri Bittel was third and Holly Hanson was fifth. Freshman Cameron Oddo was third in diving, in spite of a bad back. Hannah McDonald was fifth in the 100 butterfly and freshman Kelsey Hilyer was sixth. Holly Hanson was sixth in the hundred freestyle. Freshman Taylor Hagge was fifth in the 500 freestyle. Second place went to our 200 freestyle relay team of Lexi Harmon, Caroline Backs, Bri Bittel and Holly Hanson. Lexi Harmon and Bri Bittel were fourth and fifth in the 100 backstroke respectively. Laila Carter was third and Taylor Hagge was sixth in the 100 breaststroke. Finally, Bri Bittel, Caroline Backs, Hannah McDonald, and Laila Certer were fourth in the 400 free relay.
Blue Valley High (409)
Blue Valley Southwest (265)
Saint Thomas Aquinas (250)
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We can't remember having more fun at a swim meet than we did Wednesday at Shawnee Mission North. It's a great first meet for us in that shorter races were offered and there were dozens of other new swimmers than ours and there weren't many other 6A swimmers. Half of our swimmers were new to the team this year and most had good swims. The beginners were shaking with fear and questions before we started. The veterans lead by example and provide a great foundation. Some of our freshman are leaders in the pool and make us more competitive. We have the makings for some very good Chemistry. Welcome to all the new swimmers and their families and welcome back to all the veterans.
We could have used a number of different combinations of swimmers to win the two relays.
Senior Hannah McDonald won the 50 Fly and 50 Back
Freshman Laila Carter won the 100 Fly and 100 Breast
Freshman Lexi Harmon won the 100 Back and 50 Free
Sophomore Karley Monaghan won the 100 Free
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Swim meet at S M North starts at 4:30 Wednesday
It is a low key fun meet for the girls to begin with. No score will be kept. My guess is it will last until 6:30 and all the girls should stay until our last swimmer is finished. We will be the women in the Gold Caps though our suits will vary. Rely on veteran parents with questions about the flow of the meet and the flow of our short swim season. Buddy up with other parents for information and communication. Parents have special and important role at swim meets. Please enjoy each other and parents from other schools.
Thanks to Lisa and Marty Power w Joan Hilyer & Stephanie Deatherage and Dina Hodes for a fun and fabulous team dinner tonight. The girls really had a great time with each other and ate well.
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Tuesday March 12th Lisa and Marty Power w Joan Hilyer & Stephanie Deatherage
Wednesday April 10 Michelle & Mike Gammill
Wednesday April 24th Kyli and Andy Harmon could use another couple to host w them
Thursday May 2nd Linda & Bruce Hanson, Dawn Hickman will host w them
Need 2 Parents to Coordinate End of Year Banquet Sunday May 20th at 5pm in Commons
Need a parent photographer and videographer to get an end of year video together.
Jill Ney is the Junior Parent volunteer for “Senior Night.” She will get flowers and make handouts w senior bios for Thursday, April 25th.
Marianne Mayer could use a helper for locker signage the night before swim meets.
2013 STA Women’s Swim Team Tentative Schedule for Swimmers & Families
Coach Rick Jenkins Cell# (913)579-3638 if you need to contact me.
Swimmers Text me, text me, text me. Parents email me @ rijenks@sbcglobal.net
I will tell outsiders what we are doing at www.stasaints.net but email you directly.
Swimmers must make 80% of our practices to swim on relays and below 65% off the team. The competition is very good. We have limited space to practice in so not all make it. Every woman on the team should plan to go to State in either a competitiven capacity or support capacity. The season ends May 18th though for many the last swim day will be May 7th. Our tentative season plan will be adjusted and resent periodically so just keep most recent.
Some of the girls took a trip to Omaha together to see the Olympic Trials.
4th Place Kansas State High School Swim Championships.
Congrats to all of the swimmers on the Saints Swim Team. We had fantastic chemistry that can not be duplicated. We will miss Jenny Kongs and Anna Jenkins and Kaela Ropson and Martha Krattli so much. You all worked so hard and most improved nicely.
Our Award winners for 2012:
Newcomer of the year- Holly Hanson
Most Improved- Samantha Vogt
Most Inspirational- Miss 2nd team All-State, Virginia Bono
Most Valuable- Miss 1st Team All-State, Kaela Ropson
These ladies recieved a varsity letter:
Caroline Backs
Bri Bittel
Virginia Bono
Regan Bellerive
Holly Hanson
Anna Jenkins
Julia Jenkins
Jenny Kongs
Natalie Mayer
Hannah McDonald
Hannah Ney
Kaela Ropson
Samantha Vogt
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April 13, 2012
Coaches Bio
Rick Jenkins is now coaching the Aquinas women for the fourth year and has coached the men for three years. The returning women include a very strong core of accomplished senior competitors. They include Kaela Ropson, Jenny Kongs and Anna Jenkins. The juniors are a great group of fun and experienced competitors, Virginia Bono, Hannah McDonald. Our sophomore leaders are Bri Bittel and Hannah Ney Erica Gammill and Natalie Mayer. The team was 4th in the Kansas State High School Championship Meet in May of 2011.
Jenkins was assistant swim coach at Kansas University from 1979-1983. There he coached many All-American’s and Big 8 Champions. In 1983 he was an integral part of the coaching staff whose swimmers placed 7th at the NCAA Championships. For that surprising performance Gary Kempf and the staff was awarded the NCAA National Coach of the Year Award for 1983.
Jenkins went on to coach the Wichita Swim Club age group program from 1983-1985. Most recently he coached the Overland Park Waves age group recreational program from 2003-2006. Some of those Waves swimmers are current Saints swimmers.
As a swimmer at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska he was an All-American in butterfly, backstroke and freestyle. He scored multiple times in the Big 8 Championships and contributed to two Big 8 titles in 1978 and 1979. He was a part of the Big 8 record setting relay that went to the NCAA Championships in 1979. His swimming career ended with a shoulder injury after his sophomore season. Then he began coaching as an assistant.
He was blessed to have committed coaches at his high school and AAU programs and is honored to help these Saints set and reach their goals. He believes in his swimmers. Everybody wins. His philosophy can best be understood within this quote from Anonymous: “Competition is not so much a way to compare our gifts as a way to celebrate them.” His hope would be that his swimmers would gain short term victories and a lifetime sport which would benefit them even more as they age.
He currently has two students at Aquinas. Anna is a senior and Julia is a freshman, and both are on the team. Jimmy is a junior in mechanical engineering at KU and Cathryn is a sophomore in educational administration at Notre Dame. Both graduated from Aquinas. Molly is in 6th grade at Holy Spirit.
He and his wife have owned and operated USA Baby for 22 years, the last 7 years at 105th and Marty in Overland Park, Ks. In 2006 he established The Clean Efficient Energy Company where he does Energy Audits for home owners, Energy Star certification for home builders and government entities and Green Building Verification for the National Association of Home Builders.