Sequoia Farms Swim Season Comes to a Close

As another swim season comes to a close for the Sequoia Farms Stingrays, we look back on a summer which presented many challenges for the current team.  At the same time, the stage has been set for the numerous changes to come.

, and this season has been no different. The Stingrays slugged it out with a number of the best teams in the region and individual Sequoia swimmers proved up to the task in several of the age groups. “Up and Comers” for the 2012 season, Sophia Sobieski and Brady Gallagher made their presence known, and another team standout, Kate Croxton, broke three separate team records. The overall leader in the girls’ high point standing was Sydney Loper, while the boys’ leader was Avery Harris.

At this Saturday’s Colonial League All Star meet, Sequoia Farms will be represented by: Travis Blee, Georgia Cerisano, Jesse Cerisano, Lauren Chin, Diego Cromwell, Kate Croxton, Avery Harris, Sydney Loper, Carlo Paraggio, Caroline Santilli, Diane Sellars, Jennifer Steinhilber, Russ Steinhilber, Will Steinhilber and James Williams. These outstanding swimmers will wrap up the current season and help secure their future with the Stingrays.

As the season ends, the Sequoia team must say goodbye to some folks who have grown up on its pool deck. Aging up will be senior swimmer Matt Cohen, one of the team’s greatest-ever backstrokers. Also leaving the team, will be another of the team’s backstroke legends, Carlo Paraggio. Long-time, master of all strokes and Junior Assistant coach, Will Steinhilber will be bowing out of age-group competition and will be greatly missed. These guys have meant so much to the team over the years, it will be sad to see them go.           

Finally, if a swim team can have a heart and soul, this team found it 21 years ago, when Lara Chapman became a member in 1991. Since that time Lara has been a record-breaking swimmer for the team and has held a series of coaching positions, leading up to her final coaching season this year. It is almost impossible to measure the impact Lara has had on the Sequoia Farms swim team, but it’s an impact that can be measured in enthusiasm, integrity, and loyalty to an organization she has been with for most of her life.

 —Submitted by Gary Chapman