Embedded Files
When our children were younger, we remember attending our very first Senior Day at an A-meet and being thoroughly impressed with what the Gator Seniors had accomplished in and out of the pool, and where they were headed when they finished high school. We remember thinking then that there must be something truly special about swimming and the Gator community if it was turning out kids like these.
When we built the website, we started featuring seniors each year so that all Gator team members can get to know our graduating seniors. We also invite you all to come celebrate our Gator Seniors this year at the final home A-meet against Hunter Mill on July 14th. Come cheer on your team for the whole meet, starting at 9am or just come for Senior celebrations before relays start, approximate time 10ish -- A-meets go quickly!
While in some ways it seemed like a long time ago when we saw our first Gator Senior Day, we have now arrived with our very own Senior, and trust us when we say that it goes by so very fast -- sort of like an A-meet relay! -- so be sure to enjoy every magical summer Gator moment.
Some seniors will also write their own "Memories/Reflections of a Gator" which will be posted on the Gator Blog throughout the remainder of the season, as they come in; please check back here and click the links to read their thoughts when they are posted. They are an insightful group, so we think you will learn something from them, get a laugh, or maybe a good cry.
-- Jim and Tonda Phalen
Former Team Reps
Cassidy’s swim debut at age 5 was surprising given her success in the sport. At her first meet she nervously cried up to the start and through her first 25 free. Those tears quickly vanished with the realization she had won her heat. From that race as a little gator, Cassidy went on to become one of the fastest swimmers in NVSL history and the US.
Her fondest Gator memories are amazing families and older teammates cheering for her, motivating her to cheer for the younger Gators today; Gator meet enthusiasm and fun practices; moving from Division 7 to 2; finally making the 13-and-over practice; winning NVSL Relay Carnival and setting NVSL records with the Mixed-Age and 9-10 IM relays - those relay wins meant more to her than the numerous NVSL and MVP records; the Gator video wishing her luck at Olympic Trials and Mrs. Cardillo's on-going filming of a documentary about her swim journey; the most heart-warming memory was returning home from placing 3rd at Olympic trials, nearly making the 2016 Olympic team, to find teammates and parents welcoming her home.
In addition to MVP Gators, Cassidy has swum for Nation’s Capital Swim Team for 12 years and made the USA Junior National and National teams from age 13 to present. At 15 and 16 she was the youngest member on the US National Team! Cassidy has represented USA Swimming at meets in Maui, Tokyo, Singapore, Doha, Dubai, Canet France, and Barcelona. Cassidy also swam on the West Potomac High School swim team, making it to States each year that she swam.
Cassidy’s parents are quick to say, “It takes a village - or nearly a city - to raise team Bayer.” Special thanks to Coaches Jeff King, Laurel Grezler, and Paul Makin, her coach since age 6; medical/training team, Dr. Sameer Nagda (note: swimmers should not play powder-puff football!), Steve Sarro, Dr. Marty Skopp and Kathy Dolce. In addition, Cassidy would also like to thank her grandparents, god-parents, her mom and dad, and especially, Clark for supporting her journey thus far and where-ever it takes her in the future. In August, Cassidy will join the University of California at Berkeley swim team and study liberal arts and business. Go Didi! Go Gators! Go Bears!
Cassidy Bayer
Anna will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall where she will be studying Architecture.
Anna graduated from West Potomac High School with Honors, where she was a varsity swimmer for all four years. In her sophomore year, she received the Coaches Award. Anna also participated in Marching and Concert band, National Honor Society, Latin Honor Society and rowed for the West Potomac Crew team for all four years. In Anna’s senior year, her varsity boat finished in second place in the Virginia State Finals. Anna was also on a Technology Student Association team, along with gator teammate Elaina Phalen, that placed first in the state for their project in the Architecture category.
Anna has always liked anything to do with water, whether it was splashing around in the rain, swimming, waterskiing or rowing. She quickly realized she was not good at “land sports” and enjoyed what the water had to offer. She has enjoyed swimming with the Gators for 12 years. Being a Gator has allowed Anna to find her life-long “go-to” friends. Her favorite memories involve dressing up and cheering for spirit days at A meets. In addition to swimming for Mount Vernon Park, she swam for Nations Capital Swim Club, where she was honored to receive the Coaches Award in 2010 from Coach Laurel Greszler. Coach Laurel has been one of the people in Anna’s life that has been instrumental in mentoring her to be the person she was meant to be.
Anna Capper
Parker broke several Gator team records as a member of the girls relay team, and she was honored to receive the team’s sportsmanship award and the hero award. She also received the NCAP Coaches Award in 2013. She has been blessed with fantastic coaches over the years -- most especially Coach Paul and Coach Laurel who have taught her the value of being both a leader and a competitor. She loves and will also miss coaching the younger Gators because while teaching them she has learned a lot about herself. Parker will be attending The College of William and Mary in the fall where she will study biology.
Also read Parker's Memories of a Gator on the Gator Blog.
One of Parker’s favorite Gator accomplishments is making it across the pool and then repeating that daily for 11 years. Parker took that skill and has used it as a swimmer with Nation’s Capital Swim Club and the West Potomac High School Varsity Swim and Dive Team where she was co-captain with her Gator teammate Elaina Phalen for two years. As a member of that team Parker attended States for three years. At West Potomac, Parker was also a member of the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, President of the Latin Honor Society, and served as a freshman mentor.
Parker Fulghum
Parker has been swimming with the Gators since 2008 when her parents forced her to try something new by signing her up for swim team. She immediately fell in love with swimming and the whole Gator lifestyle.
As her 14 seasons come to a close, Emma wants to tell the younger Gators to keep swimming. “Even when you go from breaking NVSL relay records and qualifying for All-Stars at 10, 11, and 12 to not making A meets at 18, there is still a place for you at MVP.”
Emma graduated from Episcopal High School and will be attending Tulane University in the fall. At Episcopal, Emma was on the High List during each quarter, maintaining an A average all through high school. Emma lettered in lacrosse all four years of high school and basketball for three years. She also worked in the weight room during her junior and senior years. Emma also sang in Episcopal’s three choirs, the concert choir, chamber singers, and “Episcopellas,” during her 4 years of high school.
Emma Jones
Emma began swimming for Mount Vernon Park when she was 4 years old, making this her 14th season swimming as a Gator. In addition to swimming for Mount Vernon Park, she swam several years for Nations Capital Swim Club.
Ian graduated from West Potomac High School in June, where he enjoyed the inspiring instruction of his Latin teacher for 4 years, a great art program, played lacrosse, and swam for the Wolverines all four years. He is an Eagle Scout and the neighborhood senior citizens are already lamenting that their “go-to” for maintenance and yard cleaning is leaving for college. He is looking forward to studying Forensic Science and Art at Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall.
Ian Neal
Ian started swimming with a “mommy and me” swim class at 6 months old, because mom was worried his rambunctious older brother would drown him. Early on he had no problem swimming UNDER the water, but had a hard time floating and swimming ON TOP of the water. At 6 he joined the little Gators on the hill with one of his best buddies, Carl Questad, and summers became all about the Gators. He hasn’t been the fastest kid in the pool, but he has had a great time swimming, participating in pep rallies, making the team for A meets, graduating to teen nights, and passing the fun on to younger Gators while coaching. It has been more than just a swim team – it has been a family, with sibling rivalries, outrageous fun, a village of parents, and close bonds – the things great summer memories are made of!
Carl graduated from West Potomac High School as a member of both the National Honor Society and the Latin Honor Society, and a four-year member of the West Potomac Swim Team. Carl is excited to attend Indiana University in the fall to study piano performance. He will make sure to keep swimming in college whether it be through a club, or just on his own. Either way, he will always remember his gator family from Mount Vernon Park.
Carl began swimming for the gators when he was six years old. He started with his friend from preschool, Ian Neal, who has been a constant friend ever since. His favorite part of being on the team has always been the connections he has made with all the great people involved. This includes his fellow swimmers, all the families that make the team possible, and the many great coaches he has had over the years. Carl’s most cherished memories from MVP have been all the meets, coaching younger gators during the school year, and when Cameron Morey coined the name “Super Carl”.
Carl Questad (honorary)
[Although Carl is not swimming with the Gators in his final Senior year -- his dad recently retired from the Marine Corps band, they sold their house in Hollin Hall, and moved to Rochester, New York a mere week after Carl's graduation! -- "Super Carl" was and always will be a Gator!]
Elaina Phalen
Elaina has been swimming for the Gators since she was seven years old. In the twelve years she has been on the team, Elaina has become a coach for MVP both in winter and summer (she loves teaching the little gators!), been a part of numerous All-Star Relay teams, been awarded the Most Improved Award and the Leadership award, been an NCAP swimmer for eight years, and made life-long friends and memories.
Elaina graduated from West Potomac High School where she was a varsity swimmer all four years, two of which she was a team co-captain with her gator teammate, Parker Fulghum. In her senior year, she was awarded the Winter Sports Wolverine Scholar Athlete Award for earning the highest GPA during the winter sports season. Elaina was also very involved in theatre at West Potomac as a set designer and stage manager, participating in 15 shows, and serving on the board of the International Thespian Society for two years as secretary and one year as president. She was a member of the French Club, the National French Honor Society, and the National Honor Society.
Elaina will be leaving in late July to spend her first semester of college abroad at the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia. In the spring, Elaina will return to the States to attend Northeastern University, in Boston, where she will hopefully figure out what the heck she is going to do with her life.
Also see Collin's personal thoughts on the blog in his Reflections of a Gator
Collin will be taking his talents to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas where he is on scholarship as a TCU Scholar majoring in Finance. Collin thanks his parents for their love and devotion allowing him to pursue his future goals. Collin will miss his time as a Gator and remembers it like it was yesterday when he first jumped into the Gator Swamp. He’s proud to have co-created the Gator Whuup cheer you hear at any given Gator swim meet and he’ll surely miss his teammates and coaches! Go Gators and Go Frogs...Whuup, Whuup, Whuup!
He attributes much of his development and success as a service leader from time spent being mentored by swim team leaders and then passing along his own words of wisdom on the swim deck. An honor roll student and National Honor Society Scholar at Gonzaga, Collin was a member of the Son’s of Liberty, the Cannonball Society, an editor and contributor to the Phoenix and was chosen by school faculty and peers as one of only four Kairos Rectors in his class. He received the Barnes Award for honor, humility and leadership and devoted much time serving at the Father McKenna Center Men’s Homeless Shelter; mentoring disadvantaged youth at the Washington National Youth Baseball Academy, and volunteering as a swim coach for the Gators.
Collin Sundsted
Collin has been swimming for the Gators since he was seven years old and has been blessed to be a part of a few MVP relay records. Collin attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC where he swam, played water polo and was captain of the freshman, junior varsity and varsity baseball teams. He also swam competitively for NCAP, as well as contributed to the Gators as a swim coach during the winter. He has won the MVP Gators Coach’s Award, Sportsmanship Award and his NCAP winter swim team Coach’s Award.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse