Graduating Seniors and 10-year Swimmers

Lucas Valley | Marinwood | Novato | Orcas | Rolling Hills |
Scott Valley | Sleepy Hollow | Strawberry | Swimarin | Tidal Waves


LUCAS VALLEY | Lightning

10-YEAR SWIMMERS
Jacquie Bigot, 15 | Stephen Spalding, 15 | Regan Bradshaw, 16 | Natalie Garnett, 16
Paula Gollnick, 16 | Jimmy Reizman, 16 | Leah Guliasi, 17 | Lea Reizman, 18

GRADUATING SENIORS
Hanna Book| Marty Smith | Alyssa Duran

Hanna Book swam for 16 years on the Lucas Valley Swim Team.  Her favorite strokes are Backstroke and Freestyle.  "The Lucas Valley Swim Team has always been not just about swimming but also about the personal connection with teammates. The team is more of a family and the other swimmers are good friends. It’s not about winning the race; it’s about getting personal best times and improving yourself."  She graduated from Terra Linda High School and will attend Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Marty Smith started swimming with coach Chris Case 12 years ago and has set many records.  Hewon the MSL Champs High Points trophy for 2000 for 8 & under boys and in 2002for 9-10 boys. In2003 he was theHigh Points Runner-upfor 11-12 boys and then earned the 3rd place trophy in 2004. (You can tell when his interest in other sports kicked in!)  He was the LVSTHigh Point Winner for 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006.  He won the Coaches Award in 1999, the Jason Ward Award 2000, and the Dan Hickey Most Inspirational Award in 2006.  If you were to ask Marty, though, he'd tell you the awards and records are nice, but he values the friendships that he has made with other swimmers and parents far more.  That’s why he wants to come back to swim for Lucas Valley next year, as an 18-year old.  Marty will be going to the University of Wyoming to pursue a degree in Kinesiology. Perhaps swimming at a higher elevation will make him even faster!

Alyssa Duran has been swimming with Lucas Valley for 13 years. She enjoys swimming freestyle, and IM, but the backstroke is her favorite. She likesthe team traditions and team spirit.  She has always been a wonderful leader, both on and off the pool deck, and in the water.  She graduated from Terra Linda High School and will be attending UCLA.

MARINWOOD | Waterdevils

10-YEAR SWIMMERS
None

GRADUATING SENIORS
None

NOVATO | Riptides

10-YEAR SWIMMERS
Tara Burke, 14 | Sarah Cooper, 15 | Jaston Villasenor, 15 | Shannon Burke, 16
Megan Cooper, 16 | Mark Brown, 18 | Ethan Mora, 18 | Marty Schmidt, 18

GRADUATING SENIORS
Mark Brown | Ethan Mora | Mitch McSweeney | Jeff Wyrsch
Casey Burke | Randy Shelden | Matt Shelden

Mark Brown joined the Riptide at age 6.  He has always been a very strong, motivated swimmer.  His favorite strokes have been freestyle, butterfly, and IM.  He is one of the two original “Petaluma Boys.”  It shows great loyalty and dedication to “commute” to Novato from Petaluma for 13 years!  Mark swam for four years at Casa Grande High School, helping them to their league championship this year. Mark will be studying architecture at the University of Southern California studying.

Ethan Mora, the other original “Petaluma Boy,” has also been “commuting” to Novato from Petaluma for 13 seasons.  He has a special place in his heart for the Novato Riptide.  His devotion to the team has prompted him over the years to recruit many of his friends from Petaluma.  Swimming freestyle, breaststroke, and IM, he set a Riptide team record in the 50 breaststroke last year.  Ethan also swam for Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, and was a member of this year’s league championship team.  Ethan will be attending Santa Rosa Junior College this fall.  He hopes to swim for SRJC.

Mitch McSweeney started swimming in fifth grade, with help from his friend, Ethan.  Starting at age 11 can be tough, but so is Mitch.  He caught on fast, and soon became a very strong swimmer.  Another “Petaluma Boy,” Mitch declared his loyalty and motivation to Riptide quickly.  His strokes have been freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and IM.  Mitch swam at Casa Grande High School for four years, and was a member of their league-winning team.  Mitch will be attending Santa Rosa Junior College with an emphasis on fire science and fire fighting.

Jeff Wyrsch, another “Petaluma Boy,” has been swimming competitively for only four years, the last three with the Riptide.  He has learned fast and become a competitive swimmer for the league-winning Casa Grande High School team as well as the Riptide, in the freestyle and breaststroke.  He will be attending Santa Rosa Junior College.

Casey Burke became a swimmer at the urging of Ethan and Mitch, joining the Riptide three years ago and becoming one of the “Petaluma Boys.”  Casey’s first sport is running, on the Casa Grande High School cross country and track teams.  When track ends, Casey comes to the Riptide, where he does double workouts to catch up with everyone else.  Being the hard worker and conscientious athlete that he is, he has become a very competitive swimmer.  He will be studying engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Randy Shelden:  This is Randy’s first and last season with the Riptide.  Another “Petaluma Boy,” Randy was a baseball player for Casa Grande High School who was persuaded to swim by Ethan and Mitch.  Swimming first with the High School team, he learned all four strokes in his first season.  His second year he scored at the league championship meet.  This enticed him to join the Riptide.  He has become a welcome addition to the 15-18 group.  His favorite strokes are freestyle and butterfly.  Randy will be attending San Diego State University.

Matt Shelden is Randy’s twin brother and another baseball player and “Petaluma Boy.”  This was his first season of swimming, for both Casa Grande and the Riptide.  He learned all four strokes in one year and became very competitive in the freestyle, backstroke and butterfly.  Matt has been an entertaining addition to the team.  Matt will be attending San Jose State University.

TERRA LINDA | Orcas

10 -YEAR SWIMMERS
Alex Claiborne, 14 | Maya Hallstein, 15 | Gavin Pauley, 15 | Drew Dilsworth, 15
Amanda Gandy, 16 | Helen Dinter, 16 | Austin Oakes, 16 | P.J. Winder, 16
Aaron Barth, 16 | Megan McGuire, 17 | Gina Paoli, 17 | Brendan Crotty, 18
Nadim Houssain, 18

GRADUATING SENIORS
Kyle Coffee | Brendan Crotty | Nadim Houssain

Kyle Coffee began swimming with the Terra Linda ORCAS at age 11. He was awarded the Al Weatherhead Trophy for Most Coachable swimmerin 2006 and 2008. He is a strong and powerful swimmer, and always an inspiration to those around him. In addition to swimming for the ORCAS, Kyle was also involved in soccer, wrestling, and baseball while attending Terra Linda High School. He lettered in all three of these sports, excelling in wrestling, and advancing to the North Coast Section Finals in his weight class. As if all this didn't keep him busy enough, Kyle was the Valedictorian for the Terra Linda High School class of 2009. This fall, Kyle is off to Boston College.

Brendan Crotty has been a loyal ORCA since the age of 8. He has been the recipient of our Most Inspirational award because of his true ORCA spirit and desire to help all of his teammates excel to their highest level. Not only was he a leader for the ORCAS, but Brendan was also the President of his senior class at Marin Catholic High School. When he's not being an ORCA, Brendan rows with the Marin Rowing Association, which he has done for 3 years. His V8 boat placed 5th in the nation. Brendan also plays water polo, which he will continue for U.C. Davis this fall at the Division 1 level. While at UCD, Brendan plans to study Communications.

Nadim Houssain is another ORCA swimmer who excels in multiple sports. He joined the swim team at the age of 7, and continued to swim despite making a name for himself in soccer, wrestling, and track. In soccer, he was on the 2008 MCAL championship team and was voted Most Inspirational Player. As a wrestler, he was the MCAL champion in his weight class. On the track, he was the team's MVP. In his senior year, Nadim was named the Marin Athletic Foundation's Scholar Athlete of the year. The ORCAS will miss his quiet, yet confident presence on the pool deck, and smooth and graceful style of swimming. Nadim is off to U.C. Santa Barbara where he plans to remain involved in sports while studying academics.

The ORCAS want to wish the very best of luck to all of our graduating seniors, and say "thank you" to them for being excellent role models to our younger swimmers!

ROLLING HILLS | Stingrays

10 - YEAR Swimmers
None

GRADUATING SENIORS
None

SCOTT VALLEY | Sea Serpents

10 - YEAR SWIMMERS
Talia Berson | Tayla Moore

GRADUATING SENIORS
None

SLEEPY HOLLOW | Sea Lions

10 - YEAR SWIMMERS
Wendy Barbero, 16 | Keenan Dubois, 16 | Liam Shorrock, 16

GRADUATING SENIORS
None

STRAWBERRY | Seals

10-YEAR SWIMMERS
Caitlin Firmage, 15 | Kerry Norris, 15 | Taylor Gamboa, 17
Nicole Ezcurra, 18 | Nicole O’Dea, 18 | Wyatt Renner, 18

GRADUATING SENIORS
Nicole O’Dea | Nicole Ezcurra | Ranae Jabri | Taylor Gamboa | Wyatt Renner

Nicole O’Dea has been on the Seals since 1998.  “Breast stroke has always been my favorite stroke and I still have a record and some relay records. I went to Saint Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, where I was on the varsity swim team and played water polo. I love being on the Seals because of the lasting friendships as well as the spirit level and enthusiasm of all ages of kids. One thing I will always remember is swimming in relays with my older brother. This fall I'm going to play water polo and study accounting at the University of Hawaii.”

Nicole Ezcurra has been a member of the Seals sinceage 5. “My favorite stroke is the butterfly. What I like about the Seals is how the team includes every age group and really makes everyone feel needed and important. Also, of course, all the spiritthe team has, the encouragement of the coaches, and my own group of swimming friends.”  Nicole swam for the high school team for four years and also played water polo. She graduated from Redwood High School and will be attending the University of Oregon.

Ranae Jabri swam for Redwood High School for four years, and played water polo. He has been with the Seals for two years. His favorite strokes are breaststroke and backstroke. “I love the Seals practices because the coaches are supportive and the work outs are fun. I also really like the laid back atmosphere.” Ranae is off to Columbia University in the fall.

Taylor Gamboa started swimming at age 4 and has made a huge impact on the team. Every time he races a crowd gathers to watch his signature dive and natural talent in the water. His favorite stroke is the butterfly. He currently holds 10 team records, 6 individual and 4 relays. Taylor played baseball and water polo for Tam High School and received an honorable mention for water polo. “My favorite thing about the Seals is the spirit. We would go seasons without winning a meet but still have the most fun. I will always remember when we won our first meet and tossed Mehrad in the pool.”

Wyatt Renner has been a Strawberry Seal for 10 years, starting as a non-swimmer at age 9. His favorite strokes are backstroke and freestyle, with a strong dislike for breaststroke. “The best thing about being a Seal is being able to be on a team with my little sister Isabella, and the friendships with the great coaches and other swimmers.”  Wyatt swam for Branson High School and will attend the University of Vermont.

SAN RAFAEL | Swimarin

10 - YEAR SWIMMERS
Annie Gray | Crisa Salarpi | Stephania Salarpi

GRADUATING SENIORS
None

LARKSPUR | Tidal Waves

10-YEAR SWIMMERS
Erin Broughan, 16 | Erik Moller, 16 | Darcy Gamble, 17

GRADUATING SENIORS
Mackenzie Gamble

Mackenzie Gamble swam with TW for 8 years.  Her favorite stroke is Freestyle.  She likes the family activities and laid-back attitude at TW, where you can joke with the coaches.  Mackenzie went to Marin Academy for her first two years and was on the swim team there.  She graduated from Redwood High School and heads for UC Santa Cruz, where she plans to major in Psychology and Business.  She also intends to take advantage of the Visual Arts classes there, particularly drawing and painting.