Above: North Brunswick Rapids swim team assistant coaches (l-r) Leanne Barnhard, Rachel Lu and Krista DeMato are all smiles as they hold up the trophy the Rapids were awarded for winning the New Jersey Swimming & Diving Conference C Division title this year. Below: The North Brunswick Rapids swim team had quite a year, winning the New Jersey Swimming & Diving Conference C Division crown. The Rapids were 9-0 in dual meets. The North Brunswick Rapids swim team completed a successful summer season by winning the New Jersey Swimming & Diving Conference’s C League Red Division championship.
The Rapids posted a perfect 9-0 regularseason record and then went on to win the championship meet. In addition, 25 members of the team qualified for the conference’s individual championships, which were held last week at North Brunswick High School.
Eight members of the Rapids reached the finals, including Oliver Li (8U); Rachael Carrion and Nicole DaMato (9-10); Jordan Leonard, Melanie Fosko and Sara Heo (11- 12); Joey Gaston (13-14), and Matt Lu (15- 18).
“We have a very talented team and we’re very proud that we won the conference,” coach Lisa Lu said. “The swimmers have worked very hard all summer. They practice four days a week, and most of them make all of those practices. It’s a good group; many of them swim for clubs such as the Riptide.”
The Rapids are part of the township’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, but the team is open to nonresidents. Coach Lu said tryouts are usually held in late winter, and this year’s roster consisted of 95 swimmers. Elizabeth Yuhas is the township’s recreation program specialist and swim team coordinator.
Top swimmers include: 8U, Oliver Li and Christopher Stanaway; 9-10, Nicole DaMato, Carrion, George Elgayar, Chelsea Li and Robbie Neumann; 11-12, Fosko, Emily and Sara Heo, Jordan Leonard, Adam Luk and Michael Stanaway; 13-14, Jenna DaMato, Ali Hart, Tim Heo, Gaston, Jonathan Leonardo, Vivian Li, Dana Park and Stuti Tandon; and 15-18, Leanne Barnhard, Tyler Coe, Caitlin Durning, Megan Fosko, Nick Estevez and Matt Lu.
“The object is to make it fun for everyone,” the coach said. “We usually split up the team by age and capability for practice so that the swimmers can learn and compete together. We also use a buddy system where we pair older swimmers with the younger ones to help them learn the ropes. We want everyone to improve by the end of the season.”
Another part of the Rapids’ success is that the program is family oriented. Many families have several children on the team, and many of the parents serve as volunteers during meets and practices.
Judy Fosko, a parent volunteer who runs the concession stand, has two daughters, Melanie and Megan, who have been with the Rapids for the past six years.
“The Rapids make it fun,” Fosko said. “My daughters swim for their club teams, but they really look forward to swimming with the Rapids each summer. It’s a great organization for families.”
Coach Lu is a prime example. Now a pharmacy student at Rutgers, she competed for the Rapids before joining the coaching staff four years ago. Her brother Matt is on the team, her sister Rachel is an assistant coach, her dad, Mark, is an active volunteer, and her mom, Pam, is the team’s parent representative. Assistant coach Krista DaMato swam for the Rapids and has a sibling on the team, and Barnhard, the other assistant, is also a member of the current team in addition to her coaching duties. Barnhard’s father, Dave, serves as the starter for home meets.
To learn more about the Rapids, visit nbrapids.web.com.