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RYE, N.Y. – The 87th Annual Westchester County Swimming Association “Counties” Championships began at Rye Playland on Monday and Shenorock Shore Club was one of dozens of club teams at the pool.
Shenorock had 28 swimmers, both year-round swimmers and summer-only fun-lovers, enter the pool for the county championships.
Coach Maura O’Grady was grateful and happy that the county found a way to keep the pool at Rye Playland open. Swimming is much more prevalent and important to the communities in Westchester County, she said, than other areas.
Her swimmers hold that same feeling.
“They love coming to this meet,” O’Grady said. “A lot of the parents of my children swam in this meet so it brings back a lot of memories.”
O’Grady has a wide variety of swimmers with different interests and skill levels who dove into the pool on Monday.
“I have kids that will place top three to others that they just got into the meet but they’re thrilled to be here and they want to have a lot of fun,” O’Grady said.
No matter the skill level, O’Grady said each of her swimmers enjoys his or her time at the championships. Even those who are not in a club can enter the events unattached.
“They get to see all their buddies, all their friends that live (nearby), that they go to school with, that are in Westchester,” O’Grady said.
Sean Fitzgibbons, who swims for Shenorock, swam at the county meet for the second time on Monday. He entered the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and a few relay events.
Fitzgibbons said last year’s experience was interesting because of one main factor.
“It was fun. It felt different,” Fitzgibbons said. “Big pool.”
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