By LAURA CARPENTER
Express Staff Writer
http://www.newportvermontdailyexpress.com/content/view/158161/27/

The excitement was high Saturday morning at IROC with coaches and fans cheering the swimmers as they raced against each other and for their personal best times.

The event was a swim meet held at IROC with the Irockets swim team and a team from North Country Community Recreation Center in Colebrook, New Hampshire.  Several Orleans County swimmers broke IROC records and outdid their personal best times.

Heather Grieves is the only staff swim coach at IROC; the others all volunteer their time. Grieves described the volunteer coaches as highly dedicated and very generous with their time. The volunteers have not only invested their time, but money for equipment for the betterment of the team, she said.

The team meets four times a week from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. But the swimmers are only required to meet twice per week. One day during the week the team engages in land practice, a series of activities and games that build strength and coordination.  The season runs from October 15 to April 1.

Swimming is one of the best exercises for building strength, it has no negative impact on the body, and it uses every muscle, Grieves said. Grieves hopes that the program continues to grow and she wants to let people know of the world of options for swimmers, including the ability to win scholarships.

The team members are very supportive and encourage each other, Grieves said in an interview Tuesday. The team of 21 Orleans County youth ranges from six years old and up. And the older swimmers are role models to the younger swimmers, Grieves said. “Its wonderful to see the older swimmers encourage the younger ones to do their best.”

• In the nine-to-10-year-olds 100-yard individual medley, which includes 25 yards of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle, Emma Stuart swam her best time of one minute, 45.12 seconds, setting an IROC record.
• Roxann Downing set two IROC records in the nine-to-10-year-olds 50-yard freestyle with a time of 39.63 seconds, and the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 45.42 seconds.
• Tori Pappalardo had a record time in the 12 and under 100-yard freestyle with a time of one minute 15.94 seconds, with Gabriella Gyurkovis swimming a time of one minute 25.36 seconds in the same race.
• Eli McFarlane set a record for the 14 and under 100-yard breaststroke with a time of one minute 30.23 seconds, and Sarah Bilodeau won the nine and 10-year-old 50-yard butterfly with a record time of 44.75 seconds.
• Kristina Gauvin took first place in the 13-14 year old 100-yard freestyle with a record time of one minute 21.06 seconds, with Emily Pariseau of New Hampshire coming in a close second with a time of one minute. 21.57 seconds.
• Adam Lodewyk of the Irockets team set some IROC records in the 18 and under 100-yard butterfly with a time of one minute 14.77 seconds and in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of one minute 15.84 seconds.
• The eight and under relay team of Peter Gyurkovis, Grace Miller, Peyton Gilson, and Anika Hamby also set an IROC record for the 100-yard freestyle with a time of one minute 49.58 seconds.

• In the age five-to-eight age group Libby Chitambar, eight of Derby, placed first in the 25-yard freestyle with a time of 21.40 seconds.
• Peter Gyurkovics, five, of Derby  had a time of 33.40 in the  25-yard freestyle, which was his personal best.
•   In the nine to 10 age group Macie Mosher, 10, of Hardwick placed second in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 1:03.15.
• Natalie Ouellet, nine, of Derby, finished the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.65, a personal best.
• In the  11 to 12 age group Kristina Gauvin 12, of Derby took second place for the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 55.50. Wyatt Hamby, 11, of Derby placed second in the 50-yard breast stroke with a time of 59.08.
• In the 13 to 17 age group freestyle relay Eli McFarlane, of Derby, Dale Martell, of Newport, Adam Lodewyk, of Newport and Daniel Decelles, of Newport took third place with a time of 2:20.