Pick-up windows work for Butler Y swimmers
“I feel so bad ... I can't hug anyone.”
Such were the words of Butler YMCA Barracuda swim coach Corrie Jones as she greeted her swimmers and their parents — car by car — in the Y parking lot Thursday afternoon.
Swimmers had a two-hour window to drive by to pick up their awards for the 2019-20 season in lieu of a banquet this year.
“We got to the point where we just couldn't postpone the banquet anymore,” Jones said. “We had to think outside the box to get these gifts and awards out to the kids, especially the seniors.”
There were 91 swimmers on the team this season. Four of them — Alyssa Hartle, Ellie Weiss, Sam Schirra and Anthony Ravasio — are graduating seniors.
Those four have spent a combined 34 years in the Butler Y swim program.
Jones and her staff greeted the occupants of each vehicle with smiles — hidden behind their masks.
“I was fine until I saw my first senior (Ravasio),” Jones said. “Now I'm starting to cry.”
The mobile awards presentation was the brainchild of the outgoing team booster president, Penny Birch.
“We had to get the kids their awards and this is about the only way we can practice the social distancing rules and still get together somewhat,” Birch said.
“I have three kids in the program (Autumn, 15; Rachel, 14; Daniel, 12). It's my ninth year with the program. Swimming is such a rigorous sport and my kids have learned discipline through this. They have a second family in all of these swimmers.”
Ravasio is headed to Arizona State University to study sports journalism.
“I've met friends who will last a lifetime through swimming here,” Ravasio said. “The practices and meets have been challenging.
“I work at Treesdale Country Club with a lot of swimmers I've met here. That says a lot about this program.”
As for receiving his senior award through a car window, Ravasio said: “It's just one of the things we have to do these days. My high school graduation will be the same thing.”Jason Turner has had two children involved in the program for eight years.“It's like a family here,” he said. “It's amazing all of the friendships that have been made, among the kids and the parents.“This is different (the car procession), but it's a way to interact and thank everybody.”Among the awards handed out Thursday were four special ones:Jim McElhaney Parent Award — Penny Birch, for dedication to Butler YMCA swim team.John Morrow Memorial Award — Tessa Szymanski and Dashiell Thieme, for solid attendance and willingness to put the team ahead of themselves.Mark A. Smicik Memorial Award — Sam Schirra, for being competitive, a spiritual leader and motivator to himself and fellow swimmers.Frank Cicco, Jr., Most Improved Swimmer Award — Finnegan Miles.“He's five years old and it took him three minutes to swim his first length,” Jones said. “Some officials were worried he wouldn't make it, but he did.“By the end of the season, he was under 30 seconds. He just worked so hard.”The YMCA district meet was held March 6-7 at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The state meet was slated for Penn State University two weeks later.It was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.“We had a number of kids who qualified for states, some with high seeds,” Birch said. “We'll never know how they may have fared in that last meet.”Giona Lavorini was seeded first in the state the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke in the girls age 11-12 division.Butler placed fifth overall out of 33 teams at the district meet. The Barracudas' 11-12-year-old boys were age group champions.The Barracudas had 18 swimmers qualify for the state meet. They were Daniel Birch, Bryce Dryden, Ben Grossman, Cody Hartle, Adrian Lavorini, Giona Lavorini, Lilah Marzolf, Jackson Morgus, Grace Olshanski, Katie Ravasio, Katelyn Reott, Szymanski, Theme, Caden Traggai, Annabelle Turner, Abigail Vance, Addison Vance and Weiss.BUTLER BARRACUDA DISTRICT CHAMPIONS11-12 Boys Medley Relay: Daniel Bitch, Adrian Lavorini, Cody Hartle, Jackson Morgus 2:04.72Girls 50 Breast: Giona Lavorini 32.07Girls 100 Breast: Giona Lavorini 1:10.10Boys 100 Butterfly: Cody Hartle 1:07.33
