Patch Coach Spotlight

David Wendkos Named Stingray Swim Coach

Coaching swimming ends up to be a dream job for the new head of the Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club Stingrays.

Growing up in Philadelphia, PA, David Wendkos was sure he knew his destiny. He would follow in his father’s footsteps and enter the world of automobile dealerships. He spent his summers working for his father. All the while, he swam. He swam for his local pool, he swam for his high school and he swam for his college.  Although he loved swimming, it never occurred to him that the pool held the key to his future. Instead, he continued down the path toward owning his own dealership. He moved to Maryland for that very purpose.  When he realized he was not cut out for the car business, he still believed he was meant to run his own business and headed headlong into the landscaping business. “It was easy to think landscaping was the right place …

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SPY Swimmers and Moms Represent at Bay Swim

Four young Severna Park SPY swimmers took on the One Mile Bay Challenge with their mothers in tow.

On Sunday morning as the swimmers on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay began to make final preparations for either the One Mile Bay Challenge or the full 4.4 mile Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, three families began dividing duties and saying their goodbyes.  Among the seven swimmers who would be participating in the day’s races, Paige Bauman was the only one heading back across the bridge to Sandy Point State Park to complete the full distance.  Her daughters, SPY Swimmers, Alden and Amalie were staying behind with their grandmother, Joan Libby, and fellow teammates Mackenzie Hite and Allison Voorhees and her mother Carolyn.  All six would be swimming the One Mile Challenge.  The girls ranging in age from 12 to 15 years old have a lot in common…

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21 SPY Swimmers Shine at National Meet

Competitors traveled to Florida for the YMCA National Swim Meet.

There are approximately 360 days until SPY swimmers head to Fort Lauderdale for next year’s YMCA National Swim Meet.  If you want an exact number ask any of the 21 who have just returned from this year’s meet.  The national meet is the reason behind everything the team does  - all of the training, all of the local meets against local clubs, all of the early mornings spent in the pool.  Each of the swimmers at SPY and all of the coaches have one goal – qualify and compete at Nationals. With swimmers coming from all 50 states to compete at the event, qualifying is not an easy task.  This year 23 members of SPY, including 11 rookies qualified.  Of those, 21 made the trip to compete last week. As the dreary spring weather hangs over Severna …

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Severna Park Falcons Boys Are State Champions

The Falcons boys took first place at the state championship meet while the girls came in a strong second.

In their sixth season, Severna Park High School’s swim team has found their rhythm.  Both the boys and girls teams had a near perfect season by finishing the regular season undefeated then went on to win both the county and regional championships. Each time I spoke with Coach Mike McTammany or any of the players or parents throughout the season, I heard the same sentiments - this is a team that bonded.  They came together at the beginning of the season knowing what they could do with the talent they had at hand and they went to work doing it.   “It was a fantastic season- the teams came together nicely as the season wore on, and we were swimming our best at the end of the year.  The teams' development and performances speak volumes about …

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Carrie Hilliard

8:56 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011

Congratulations to both the boy and girls teams! Great season!   more ›

Undefeated Falcons Have High Post-Season Hopes

Teamwork and commitment led Severna Park High's swim team to an undefeated regular season.

The Severna Park Falcons Swim Team came into this season with low expectations.  Several of their star swimmers graduated last May leading everybody to believe that this would be a rebuilding year.  In an area known for producing great swimmers through the programs at SPY Aquatics, the Naval Academy Aquatic Club, and Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club it is anybody’s guess which swimmers will decide that the commitment to both their club team and a high school team is just too much. Luckily this year, over 15 swimmers were willing to make that commitment,  helping to lead the both the boys’ and girls’ Severna Park Falcons to an undefeated season. “I admire the desire and commitment of the kids who swim for both teams.  I appreciate …

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A Master Stroke

With two Masters Swimming Programs in Severna Park, its time to take the plunge.

Almost eight years ago, after fracturing my tibia, I was forced to give up running and biking for six months.  As an alternative, my doctor suggested I take up swimming. Reluctantly, I did and was surprised to find I enjoyed it.  At first it was the challenge of learning a new sport and just being able to complete a workout.  But as I continued it became about perfecting my stroke and improving my times.  Unfortunately, when I first started swimming I was on my own to make these improvements. I bought books and DVDs.  I scoured the internet. I watched the faster swimmers at my local pool but it was really guess work and when something proved too hard, I would just give up and do it the way I was comfortable doing it. Because of this I have…

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Jack Bremer Named Scholastic All-American by USA Swimming

Severn School junior exceeds All-American standards in six events.

Jack Bremer, a junior at Severn School was recently nameed  a Scholastic All-American by USA Swimming, the National governing body for the sport. "My teammates stay away from me before I swim," said Bremer. "I have been known to just get so mentally tuned in and just block everything out." That focus  has led Bremer to success in the pool and in the classroom. The scholastic All-American team is made up of high school students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and have achieved an All-American time in a single swimming event. Bremer currently has six events in which he exceeds the All-American standard. He's  won three MIAA individual championships in the 100 yard Butterfly (twice) and the 200 yard Freestyle and is nationally…

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steve anstett

8:53 am on Thursday, January 6, 2011

great job Jack!   more ›

Park Sports

Student Athlete and Leader at Severn School

Sarah Bouchard is a national level swimmer for the SPY swim team, captain of cross country team and the swim team at Severna Park school.

 As I was putting in my laps at the pool this morning, I heard an older gentleman giving his version of the "kids today" speech and I had to laugh.  I am sure there are exceptions to the kids I come across, but it is all relative, right?  The kids I meet on a daily basis are students and more often than not, student athletes in Severna Park, which turns my "kids today" speech from a negative into a positive.  Among the incredible youth I meet on a daily basis though, Sarah Bouchard stands out. Sarah is a 4.0 student at Severn School, a year round national level swimmer for the SPY swim team on, captain of both the cross country team and the swim team at her school and a writer for the student newspaper, The Anchor. While many college …

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