In between races the local kids competing for the Northerns YMCA swim team take a break. From L-R: Haddon Taylor, Kajsa Ekstrom, Aurora Gallagher, Martine Redshaw, Isaak Lien, Finnley Taylor, Silas Ekstrom and Jack Willis.
Huh? That’s right. The ultimate reward at last weekend’s Superior Invitational was a rubber ducky! The Superior YMCA hosted the Duluth/Cook County Northerns as well as large teams from Brainerd, Grand Rapids, White Bear Lake and Shoreview. For a bit of fun, each heat winner was awarded one of the coveted waterfowl.
At each swim meet throughout the season, our swimmers participate in three individual events and two relays. So as usual, besides having lots of fun, the eight Northerns from Cook County were kept busy and worked hard. All of our athletes managed to drop time in one or more of their events.
Kajsa Ekstrom, a third-grader, is always enthusiastic about swimming her events. She has an easy, natural freestyle stroke and dropped time in that 50-yard sprint. After cheering on her teammates in the 500-freestyle, Kajsa now aspires to swim that event someday.
Aurora Gallagher continues to swim with her flair. Her tenaciousness earned her a personal best in the 100-yard freestyle. She also learned how to use the lap counter as she watched her teammates swim the longer distances.
Martine Redshaw achieved one of her personal goals for this year, swimming the 500-yard freestyle and putting a decent initial time on the board. She also had an exciting 100-individual-medley, back-and-forth race with a White Bear Lake swimmer, missing first place in her heat by .013 seconds.
Participating at swim meets, young swimmers learn how to find and get to their events, lanes, and heats on time. Ten-year-old Silas Ekstrom, in his second year on the team, is getting to be a pro at finding where he needs to be. Last Saturday, though, through no fault of his own, he missed one of his events. Coach Emily Breaker quickly found another event for him. Silas showed his resiliency by jumping right into this unexpected situation and doing his best.
Isaak Lien, Finnley Taylor, Haddon Taylor, and Jack Willis are veteran team members. They are always where they should be; ready to better their times. They are also great supporters of their younger teammates. Finn, Haddon, and Jack placed well in several events in their respective age groups. Finn placed second for the 11- to 12 year-olds in the 100 individual medley, which is 25 yards of each stroke — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. Haddon earned fourth place in the 50-yard breaststroke for 13- and 14-year-olds.
Jack, a ninth-grader, placed second in the 200-yard individual medley, or 50 yards of each stroke. Ten-year-old Isaak took on a personal challenge and aged up to the 13-year-old category in the 100-yard breaststroke, earning third place.
Once again, congratulations, Northerns, on your success. The last regular meet of the season will take place this Saturday, Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. in Grand Marais. We will host our teammates from Duluth and will also welcome the Superior Whalers. Qualifying athletes will move on to the Sections meet in Superior on Feb. 3.
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