YMCA SWIMMING Trumbull youth earn top marks

Trumbull County YMCA swim team girls ranked first in nation; several others rank in the Top 16.
The Trumbull County YMCA Tidal Waves Swim Team 9-10 girls, 200-yard freestyle relay last year ranked first in the National YMCA League and tied with the top ranked team in the USA League, making them the fastest in America.
Then 10-year-old swimmers Ali Tolich of Weathersfield, Danielle Kovachik of Girard, Kara Guyer of Youngstown and Dana Shaker of Niles earned the national ranking at a regional YMCA championship meet in Canton with a record breaking regional time and national first-ranked time of 1 minute, 54.09 seconds.
One other Tidal Waves relay made the National YMCA Top 16 list, along with three swimmers in several individual events. Top 16 is an annual rankings system denoting the country's fastest two heats of swimmers based on times achieved during the previous season.
The Tidal Waves 9-10 girls 200-yard medley relay ranked third in the National YMCA Top 16, consisting of Shaker, Kelsey Sekanick, Guyer and Kovachik coming in at 2:11.56.
Tidal Waves swimmers who made National YMCA Top 16 rankings in individual events were Michael Fredericka, second in the 50 breaststroke; Kara Guyer, third in the 100 butterfly, sixth in the 50 butterfly and 14th in the 100 backstroke, and Shaker, third in the 50 free, fourth in the 100 free, fourth in the 100 backstroke, fifth in the 50 back, sixth in the 200 free, eighth in the 100 butterfly and 15th in the 50 butterfly.
Coaches
All of the Tidal Waves swimmers who earned national rankings started their training with Sissy Swegman, a long-time YMCA age group coach whose swimmers have gone on to Division I swim programs across the country, and Trumbull YMCA Aquatics Director Dawn Bowser, a former national swim champion.
But the team's national recognition comes following four years of preparation under coach Debbie Mann, a former New York State swim coach of the year.
While in New York, Mann coached high school and YMCA swim teams from 1984-1998. Her Oswego High girls varsity team placed second statewide and several of her swimmers in high school and YMCA held state records.
During the 2001-2002 YMCA season, Mann coached Dustin Guyer to two National Top 16 rankings in the 50 back and 50 fly.
Also the Howland High coach, Mann oversaw 15-year-old daughter Kristine's 2003 high school sectional win in the 100 fly, and 16-year-old Heather Gilmour's sectional wins in the 200 and 500 free. Gilmour was the first swimmer in Howland history to qualify for the state meet.
Mann lives in Howland with husband Sam and daughter Kristine. Their son Sam Jr. is a freshman at Washington & amp; Jefferson College.