Aquanauts honoured for hard work

The young members of the Fort Frances Aquanauts Swim Team sat in rapt attention Friday evening as their coach, Roman Ramirez, adressed them at their annual banquet.
He spoke about people in their lives who had inspired them. People who had enriched their lives. People who had pushed them to succeed.
“It is important to ask yourself, ‘What type of role model am I being to other swimmers in the club and to the people around me?’
“There are two kinds of role models, positive and negative,” he added. “Which one are you?”
Ramirez also spoke of the team’s accomplishments over the last season, and looked ahead to the upcoming Man.-Sask. meet.
The banquet, he added, is an opportunity to wrap up the year and to recognize such things as outstanding acheivement, most improved, and the fastest swimmers.
“I really like the awards ceremony because it’s where the swimming people can really get to know your name and you get awards,” said Aquanaut Bryson Skirten, nine.
“Swimming is really fun because you get to try different strokes.”
After a home-cooked meal at the Ukrainian Hall, the 65 team members settled in for the awards ceremony. Ramirez, along with assistant coaches Megan Hebert and Jamie Beadow, first handed out participation trophies to all the athletes and medals to those moving up a level.
He then moved on to the “high points” and most improved awards for five different age groups before finishing up with the open category awards.
Trophy winners included Jessica Lowey and Kenneth Kellar (freestyle), Nicole Fontana and Donovan Cousineau (backstroke), Nichole Lowey and Kyle Perrott (breaststroke), Rachel Dutton and Andre Emond (butterfly), and Laurel Perrott and Alex Parent (I.M.)
Adam Stromberg received the award for most improved for a novice swimmer while Kaela Lowey took the trophy for a new competitive swimmer.
The most dedicated swimmer awards went to Jillian Gustafson and Krista Emond.
The swimmers’ choice award, which was voted on by the team, went to Heather Dutton, who also received the trophy as the top female swimmer.
Alex Parent received the award for the top male swimmer.
Dutton, 17, said she was very surprised and happy with the awards. She recently competed in the junior nationals in Vancouver, where she placed 32nd out of 116 swimmers.
Her sister, Rachel, 14, received the award for high points in the butterfly stroke.
“I wasn’t expecting it, it’s cool,” she said. “It was an awesome season and I hope it will be good next year.”
The winners of the age group trophies for high points and most improved were as follows:
•Eight and under—Jillian Gustafson and Andre Emond (high points), and Serena Stromberg and Bryson Skirten (most improved);
•Nine-10—Jessica Lowey and Donovan Cousineau (high points), and Caitlin Sande and Robert Stevens (most improved);
•11-12—Nichole Lowey (high points) and Rebecca Armit (most improved);
•13-14—Rachel Dutton and Alex Parent (high points), and Jessica Cousineau and Kenneth Kellar (most improved);
•15 and over—Heather Dutton (high points) and Karli McKinnon (most improved)