B3 Aquatics Team hosts first Sprint Spectacular meet

On Oct. 9, 435 swimmers from across Northeast Ohio convened at Hathaway Brown’s Butler Aquatic Center to participate in the Sprint Spectacular meet, hosted by the new B3 Aquatics Barracuda swim team. B3 Aquatics is a USA swimming club celebrating its first short-course season on the east side of Cleveland.

B3 Head Coach Bryan Wamsley said he was thrilled with the success of the first meet. “Our swimmers improved over 300 seconds and I am proud of the effort they gave," Wamsley said. "Also, our incredible meet director Sarah Tobin, amazing volunteers, and the fantastic aquatic staff lead by Nicky Trebec at Hathaway Brown all worked together to make it possible.”

Despite being a new team, the Barracudas of B3 Aquatics include a number of veteran swimmers who made a strong showing at the Sprint Spectacular. The Barracudas had top-three finishes in 14 different events. The relay teams also put in impressive performances, with the Boys/12-and-Under 200-yard freestyle team placing first, and the Girls/Open 200-yard freestyle team placing third.

Despite the strong results, Wamsley said he is most focused on ensuring that team members remain true to the “three B’s” of the Barracuda mission statement: to make yourself, your teammates and the sport of swimming better through effort, leadership and respect for rules, opponents and officials.

Wamsley and co-Head Coach Tina McCauley were particularly pleased that many of the older B3 swimmers got up early to attend the meet’s morning events for younger kids. The veteran athletes helped guide and encourage younger teammates by calming jittery nerves, offering advice and cheering on the newest Barracudas. “Our swimmers don’t just talk about leadership. Here, they lead by example every day,” McCauley said.

Natalie Reiss

Natalie Reiss of Cleveland Heights is a freelance wWriter, psychologist and parent of two students at Communion of Saints School.

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Volume 4, Issue 11, Posted 11:46 AM, 10.25.2011