Men's End of Year Swim Banquet Thursday April 4th, 7pm until 8:30 in the Commons. We'll have a Taco bar from Tequila Harry's Mexican Restaurant, Get your reservation check in to the admissions office at Aquinas ASAP. Make your check out to STA, $10 per person. Anybody and everybody in the family is welcome. Please let me know whether or not you plan to make it. I look forward to celebrating the boys and their accomplishments.
Boys Swimming
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Hello Saints Swim Fam, The men got 15th today at the State Meet in Topeka. The big news is Eric Carter breaking the school record of the Great James Bono. Eric went 2:05.65 for 9th place. The 200 Medley Relay of Jack Moran, Mark Nelson, Michael Zalenski, and Sam Bourdow was 15th. Danial Aiken went 5:33 in the 500 and got 15th. The 200 free relay team of Daniel Aiken, Timothy Aiken, Mike Estes, and Michael Zalenski got 16th. The 400 Free Relay team of Eric Carter, Daniel Aiken, Timothy Aiken, and Jack Moran got 9th. Of note, Eric Carter went :50.5 and Jack Moran finished it off with a :53.0. Timothy went :54.0. Remember, Scott Sheridan was 4th in diving yesterday. Shawnee Mission South won, Topeka Hayden was second and Maize was third. I think we will have our end of year banquet Sunday, April 7th. Stay Tuned!
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February 12, 2013
These men are bound for Topeka, for State:
Scott Sheridan goes first Thursday with Diving
Friday he dives for a medal at 1:30 and the rest prelim at 4pm
Eric Carter 200 IM & 100 Fly
Daniel Aiken 200 Free and 500 Free
Michael Zalenski 200 Free and 500 Free
Jack Moran 100 Free
200 Medley Relay Jack Moran, Mark Nelson, Eric Carter, Sam Bourdow
200 Free Relay Sam Bourdow, Timothy Aiken, Mark Nelson, Daniel Aiken
400 Free Relay Eric Carter, Daniel Aiken, Timothy Aiken, Jack Moran
Saints!!!
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2013 EKL Swim Championship Results for STA Men
Eric Carter was our high scorer at this weekends’ EKL Championships at Blue Valley Southwest. He was second place in the 100 butterfly and 12th in the 200 IM. Diver Scott Sheridan was 8th in the 1 meter event. Mark Nelson was 11th in the 100 breastroke. The Saints 200 free relay team of Sam Bourdow, Mark Nelson, Joe Henn, and Nick D’Adamo was 6th. The 400 free relay team of Eric Carter, Timothy Aiken, Jack Moran, and Joe Henn won 3rd place.
Eric Carter is qualified for the State Championships in Topeka, Mid February, and Daniel Aiken is qualified in the 200 & 500 freestyles. Scott Sheridan is qualified in diving and all 3 of our relays are qualified. We have a last chance qualifying meet Tuesday at Blue Valley Northwest at 4pm. Let’s go Saints!
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January 30, 2013
Here we are in our final week with many of the men. Our League Championship start at 5 pm Friday at Blue Valley Southwest at about 176th and Quivira. Remember, the sherrifs try to keep the local native farmers happy by keeping you under the spped limit by distributing traffic tickets generously.
Many of our boys will be singing in school choir events or visiting colleges Saturday but Friday night we should have a pretty good group. Hopefully you can find a seat together and enjoy each others company.
Alison Clark will be hosting Thursday Night's team dinner with Liz Nelson and Patrice Henn (Anybody else I'm Missing.) We will finish practice by 4:30 or 4:45 and I will call you when the boys are out of the water so you have a half hour warning. Thanks for hosting this. The Zalenskis and Aikens and Viso's did such a great job hosting our other dinner.
The last meet for non state qualifiers is Tuesday at Blue Valley Northwest at 4:30. All will swim Tuesday.
We won't know who swims at state for sure until after Tuesday but Eric Carter, Daniel Aiken, Jack Moran, Michael Zalenski, Mark Nelson, Joe Henn, Sam Bourdow, Scott Sheridan, Timothy Aiken will. continue on to represent in Topeka. Hopefully some others will qualify also.
Thanks to everybody for your support.
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January 19, 2013
Blue Valley Southwest Invite STA Results
Out of 14 5-A teams, Aquinas was 4th behind champ SM South, Bishop Miege, and BVSWJ.
200 Medley Relay was 7th Place Daniel Robison Backstroke, Jack Moran Breaststroke, Nick D’Adamo Butterfly, Sam Bourdow Free
200 Free Eric Carter 2nd, Daniel Aiken 7th, Michael Zalenski
200 IM John Viso 9th, Amazing
50 Free Mark Nelson 7th, Joe Henn 8th, Sam Bourdow 10th and Timothy Aiken 12th
100 Fly Eric Carter 2nd, Nick D’Adamo 15th
100 Free Jack Moran 9, Timothy Aiken 11, Sam Bourdow 12
500 Daniel Aiken 4, Michael Zalenski 10th
200 Free Relay 4th place Sam Bourdow, Timothy Aiken, Mark Nelson, Eric Carter
100 Back Jack Moran 10th
400 Free Relay 5th Place Daniel Aiken, Timothy Aiken, Jack Moran, Eric Carter
Team Dinner 1st Place Len and Susan Zalenski, Maureen Aiken, and Jill Viso. It’s 11pm. Just got home from 7th grade daughters soccer game and had to have some more of Mr. Zalenski’s Lasagna and Coach Dower’s Carmel desert. Only problem, my girls ate Coach Dower’s deserts. Everything was incredible.
St. Thomas Aquinas Men’s Swimming Plan 2012/2013
Mon Jan 21,, No School No pool, dryland 3:30-5:30
Tues Jan 22, 6:50am Dryland in wrestling room & Weight room, 3:30-6 Pioneer Trail
Wed Jan 23, 3:15 arrive, 3:30 begin w sign & stretch
Thurs Jan 24, 6:50am Dryland in wrestling room & Weight room, 3:30-6 Pioneer Trail No swim meet
Fri Jan 25, 3:15 arrive, 3:30 begin w sign & stretch
Sat Jan 26 SME Dive 6:55am Dryland swimmers wrestling rm Done at 7:50. Swim Saturdays 8:15-9:30.
Mon Jan 28 SMN swim meet? Senior Night
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STA Men’s Swimmers 3 of 7 at Free State Invite (Thanks to the parents who drove swimmers to Lawrence!)
The swim team is starting to come together. The men were 3rd of 7 teams and were bested by 6A powers Lawrence Free State and Topeka Washburn Rural. We had no individual event winners but a team full of solid contributors.
Sr. Daniel Aiken was 4th in the 200 free and 2nd in the 500 freestyle. Sr Eric Carter was 4th in the 100 butterfly and 5th in the 200 IM. Diver Scott Sheridan was 5th. Soph Michael Zalenski was 8th in the 200 free and 7th in the 500 free. Freshman Derek Ecklund was 12th in the 500 free. Soph Sam Bourdow was 8th in the 50 free, Jr Mark Nelson was 11th and his buddy, Jr Joe Henn 12th. Jr Jack Moran was 7th in the 100 free and 6th in the 100 back. Freshman Sam Clark was 10th in the 100 breaststroke and Sr Daniel Robison was 10th in the 100 back.
Will Clark, Nick D’Adamo and John Viso continue to improve every week. Timothy Aiken might swim faster now but he is working so hard in practice that he is swimming a little muscle tired. That’s what we want from all of our men right now. You get more reward in important year end meets when you do it that way. Next Tuesday, January 15th, we travel to Blue Valley High for a 4pm meet. Congrats Saints Swimmers
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1st Annual End of the World STA Swim Christmas Reunion Waterpolo and BBall Game and Snow Run:
http://youtu.be/EgEk8BKBtwQ
Wish you could have been there!
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Hello STA Saints Swim Fans,
Just got back from Praire Trail Olathe Northwest's pool, where we got 8th out of 12 at the Olathe Invitational. For us that's good.
I've got Eric Carter's 3rd place 100 fly medal and his 200 IM Medal. Also Eric Carter, Michael Zalenski, Jack Moran and Daniel Aiken's 5th place 400 free medal. If you weren't there, you have to separate yourself from what is expected. We have great senior leadership in Eric Carter and Daniel Aiken. Other than that we don't return any state medal holders. Two of our fastest guys are out with illness. However, the rest of them all stepped up and competed to make the saints proud. I am very proud of all of our guys this year. We are off to a solid start and can improve much.
Practice in the morning at 6:55 in the wrestling room. I know, like you I would rather sleep in also. Yoga, circuit training and barbell work in the weight room. Swim 8:15 to 9:30. Some of our seniors have ACT's (goodluck to them!) The rest of you know that you will be burning w a sense of pride that you made it to practice in the morning. Good night. See you in the morning. Thanks to all of you men who show up to practice and improve with me.
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December 4th, 2012
The seniors, lead by Captains Eric Carter and Daniel Aiken, did a great job getting our men ready for our meet at BVWest and BVHigh this afternoon. We got 4th out of 9 teams and feel pretty good about our team. We had so many first timers on our relays that competed very well and did us proud. Congratulations to our divers and Coach Hoffman for getting 4th, 5th and 6th.
200 Medley Relay 5th Daniel Robison, Jack Moran, Nick Diadamo, and Joe Henn. Many others had great first swims!!!
200 Free Eric Carter and Daniel Aiken were 4th and 5th respectively and Sam Bourdow was 10th.
200 IM Champion John Viso did not win. We were not more proud of any of our swimmers than John.
50 Free Joe Henn was 11th
100 Free Eric Carter was 5thJack Moran and Joe Henn were 9th and 10th. Michael Zalenski & Timothy Aiken were 13th.
500 Free Daniel Aiken was 6th and Sam Bourdow was 12th.
200 Free Relay of Eric Carter, Michael Zalenski, Joe Henn and Daniel Aiken were 5th. Timothy Aiken, Sam Bourdow, Nick D”Adamo and Daniel Robison were only 4 seconds back to get 9th place.
100 Back Jack Moran was 3rd place
100 Breast Freshman Sam Clark was cloaned from his older brother and got 10th.
400 Free Relay Daniel Aiken, Michael Zalenski, Jack Moran and Eric Carter were 3rd.
The coaching staff was very proud of our guys today. They represented Aquinas w spirit and togetherness. Standouts were Nick D”Adamo, Timothy Aiken, John Viso, Derek Ecklund, Sam Clark.
Blue Valley North
Blue Valley Northwest
Blue Valley Southwest
Lawrence
Lawrence Free State
Manhattan
Olathe East
Olathe North
Olathe Northwest
Olathe South
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Shawnee Mission East
Shawnee Mission North
Shawnee Mission NW
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The pool is on the East side of the school off of 127th street just west of Black Bob. The team meets in "The Commons" after school and car pools to practice. Hopefully freshmen can buddy up with juniors and seniors with a car.
I am very excited to announce that Coach Ashley Dower will be working with me in helping you, men and women, become the best swimmer you can be. She did a great job assisting me with the girls last year. She grew up swimming for The KC Blazers and went on to be a part of some records at KU. She works full time at a local pharmaceutical company and isn't married yet but has a great fiance. She is wise, level headed, fun and will be a strong addition to our men's team. Couldn't be happier to have Ashley Dower share her valuable time and knowledge with us! Go Saints swimming!!!
Ladies and gentlemen, We have a new diving coach. We are a swim and dive team. 1 team. I don't know diving and we need an expert w passion to over see the development and safety of those athletes that dive for us. Thanks to the school for allowing us to hire Ashley Dower and our new diving coach, Emily Hoffman. Divers will be required to do dryland with us Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. Let's call it team bonding. The men start on Monday. If you don't have your physical on file in the attendance office Monday then don't show up until you do. Eric and Daniel I need your 3 team suit choices tomorrow.
Hello!
My name is Emily Hoffman. I am very excited to be coaching for St. Thomas Aquinas! Just a little about my diving background, I graduated STA back in 2003. I was a state qualifier all 4 years and was a state finalist my junior and senior year. I competed in club diving at KU for 10 years and competed with the Lenexa Lazers for 13 years. I have traveled to many different states competing in diving with my club team. I have taught diving lessons many different times throughout my diving career. I have coached Leawood Aquatic Center back in 2009. I am currently teaching my son how to dive during the summer. For me coaching diving is a dream come true!
A little bit about me. I have a 6 year old who is in kindergarten. He is my inspiration and my number 1 fan. I enjoy watching my son play sports such as soccer, diving, basketball and baseball. I also enjoy traveling, going out with my friends, watching movies, singing karaoke, and being outside.
My philosophy on diving is try your hardest and succeed to the fullest. I understand with diving it can be very intimidating, stressful and scary. I believe that if you put your mind to it, you can succeed in whatever you do. My mission with Aquinas is to help those athletes who want to succeed and teaching those athletes who want to learn. I am an open minded person and always open to suggestion. Communication is a huge factor with me. If you can have great communication between athlete and coach, what you are doing and willing to do will come easy and natural. I expect the divers to have a drive and passion to excel in this sport. I don’t have time to deal with goofing around or horseplay. To me it’s unacceptable and dangerous. I also expect respect from our team. I have always been taught to treat others how you would want to be treated. With that being said, have respect for your coaches, their assistants, your managers, your team, but mostly yourself. You are representing St. Thomas Aquinas, so please always keep that in mind. Not just at practice, meets, or school. But at home, or when you are out with friends or family. This is not an easy sport. It takes lots of time, determination, and a willingness to succeed. I believe that if you accomplish that, this will be an easy and fun season. If you ever have any questions about how to do something, don’t hesitate to ask me. I am here to help you! I want to see you succeed and be proud of what you can accomplish. If we work together and eliminate any obstacles we may face, it will be fun and exciting. If you are defiant and are not willing to work together and cooperate, then you are not only wasting your coach’s time, but your own time as well. So with that being said, I am looking forward to this season and what we can offer to St. Thomas Aquinas!!!!!
Aquinas 2012/2013
Rick Jenkins coached the Aquinas women in 2009 and will coach the men for the first time this fall. He 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 at the 1983 NCAA Championships.
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. Cathryn is a senior and Anna is a sophomore. Jimmy graduated from Aquinas and is a freshman at KU, Julia is in 7th grade at Holy Spirit and Molly is in fourth grade.
He and his wife have owned and operated USA Baby for 19 years, the last 5 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.
7am strength and conditioning in the morning. In season swimmers will be required to start at 6:45 until 7:45 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 8:00 to 10:15. Out of season swimmers don't have to come until 7am. Everybody is out of season right now.
We will have a meeting soon for parents and that will be announced on the website.
7am strength and conditioning in the morning. In season swimmers will be required to start at 6:45 until 7:45 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 8:00 to 10:15. Out of season swimmers don't have to come until 7am. Everybody is out of season right now.
We will have a meeting soon for parents and that will be announced on the website.
What are we supposed to wear for the picture tomorrow?
What are we supposed to wear for the picture tomorrow?
http://youtu.be/EgEk8BKBtwQ
http://youtu.be/EgEk8BKBtwQ