COVID-19 RMSC Update

Dear RMSC Coaches & Families,

With news coming out all the time, the Administrative team wanted you to know of our commitment to get our swimmers back in the pool.  Our supervisors have been working with our administrative coaches to put together multiple practice plans that will satisfy any and all guidelines from both the CDC and USA Swimming.  When we receive the go ahead from County Executive Elrich and the Department of Health, we will be mobilizing quickly in order to get the program running again in some capacity.

Our message to you is to be ready!  We believe that we are getting close to an announcement of being allowed to return.  While we cannot share any specific dates, times, or parameters until after we hear that announcement, our goal is to have swimmers in the water as soon as possible.  We ask that you please be ready on very short notice to begin the process of return.  When permitted, we will send you all guidelines and specifications, as well as the schedule for swimmers to practice.  Initially, the County’s limitations on capacity will dictate that we cannot run full group schedules.  Please be advised that as restrictions change (presumably lighten), your swimmer’s schedule will likely change as well, in an effort to increase their water time available while maintaining safety and providing adequate time and space for the public to swim.  We recognize that swimming a limited schedule may not be ideal for training, but given the circumstances, we hope that you will focus on what water time you are getting rather than what water time you are not getting. 

Because of these unique times, we understand that there are concerns with health and safety.  We assure you once again that we will follow all CDC and USA Swimming protocols upon our return to the pool.  If you do not feel comfortable sending your swimmer to practice at this early stage of return, there will be no penalty in terms of group attendance requirements.  But in the event that you do not feel comfortable sending your swimmer to practices at all this Summer, we ask that you contact us and email rec.aquatics@montgomerycountymd.gov, to initiate a withdrawal from the program, and that you consider rejoining when the new registrations occur for the Fall.

We apologize for the inconvenience and we thank you for your patience through these difficult times.  Please understand that we have been working continuously to prepare for our return, but we must wait until we receive clearance from the County before that return can happen.  Now that it is in sight, we hope you are getting excited about a return to the pool, in whatever form it takes place.

Stay safe and healthy,

RMSC Administrative Team

COVID-19 RMSC Update

RMSC Families:


While the info released on (May 28, 2020) was not what any of us wanted to hear we do know that that our County Executive and Public Health Officer are working tirelessly to insure that when we do return to operations  - it is in the safest set of protocols for everyone...

MC Aquatics has been working tirelessly with the County Health Dept team and National, Regional and local experts in the field to have our outdoor pools ready to go in the safest way possible.    We have also been working with the Health Dept to make sure our opening plans will meet all the expectations and safety measures put in place for the next few months

We have received some very creative and innovative suggestions from our Coaches for restarting practices.  The MC Aquatics Team is working to utilize some of these ideas in the new programming (practice scheduling) of our pools.

Please know that we are doing everything we can to get our swimmers back in the pool. Thank you for your patience and understanding

Stay Safe,

RMSC & MCR Aquatics

COVID-19 RMSC News

RMSC Families,

Montgomery County Recreation appreciates your patience as we determine the best move forward for our swimmers.  The recent announcement of schools and aquatic facilities being closed until April 24, has lead to the following decisions regarding our RMSC program. 

For anyone requesting a pro-rated refund for the remaining portion of the season, you must email rec.aquatics@montgomerycountymd.gov by April 20, 2020.  Any swimmer who opts for a refund, will need to attend try-outs (held in July) to secure a spot in the 2020-2021 RMSC Program.  Please provide your swimmers name, pool/site, and group name in your refund request.

If you do not request a refund, a pro-rated credit will be applied to your account based on the date swimmers return to the water.  

Swimmers graduating from our program (current High School Seniors), who remain till the end of the season, will received a pro-rated credit based on the date swimmers return to the water. As a graduating Senior if you would prefer the pro-rated credit to be refunded at the end of the season please send an email to rec.aquatics@montgomerycountymd.gov with the subject line "RMSC Graduating Senior Refund" by April 20, 2020.  You must also include your swimmers name, pool/site and group name in your email.

The Spring Long Course Meet originally scheduled for May 1 - 3 will not be held. However, we are working to find alternate dates to hold the event.  More information will be shared as it becomes known.  

Our goal is have swimmers in the water as quickly as possible.  

Please check www.rmscswimming.org and www.mocorec.com for updated information regarding re-opening after April 24. 

Stay Well,

Montgomery County Recreation Aquatics

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RMSC’s Alex Bacon commits to swim at Binghampton University

Alex Bacon, a current high school senior at Sherwood High School, has committed to swim for Division 1 Binghamton University in New York. Bacon will graduate from high school in May 2020 and join Binghamton’s class of 2024.

Bacon currently swims for Rockville Montgomery Swim Club and has been a scoring finalist at the Eastern Zone South Region Sectionals and the Eastern Zone Senior LC Championships for three years.

Along with her achievements in the pool, Bacon has been recognized as a Potomac Valley Swimming Scholar Athlete.

Congratulations!

https://swimswam.com/rmsc-senior-alex-bacon-commits-to-d1-binghamton-university/


Carr, Colson and Vipavetz Receive World Top 100 Awards

USA Swimming has named recipients of the World Top 100 Awards for 2019.  Abby Carr, Alex Colson and Ryan Vipavetz were named to the list for their 2019 performances with RMSC, by way of being ranked in the top 100 in the world among 18 & Unders.

Coincidentally, all three secured their world rankings in 200 fly.  Ryan, now a freshman at Virginia Tech, was 24th.  Alex, now a freshman at Arizona State, was 49th, and was also 61st in 100 fly.  Abby, a Junior, was 89th, and was also 99th in 100 fly.

Congratulations to our world-ranked award winners!

RMSC Swimmers Succeed in the Pool and the Classroom

RMSC had an outstanding 83 recipients of the 2018-2019 Potomac Valley Swimming Scholar Athlete Award.  The award recognizes success both in the classroom and the pool; these swimmers have received this award based on attaining a 3.5 or higher grade point average for the entire 2018-2019 school year, as well as achieving a 3.5 or higher USA Swimming event standard average in a minimum of five events.

For the list, please see: http://rmscswimming.com/collegiate-decisions

Congratulations to our Scholar Athletes!

RMSC Swimmers Compete at Toyota U.S. Open

Five RMSC swimmers traveled to Atlanta, GA to compete at the Toyota U.S. Open.  Our top finisher was Abby Carr, who made finals in all three of her events.  Abby recorded 15-16 and Senior Team Records in 100 back (1:03.74) and 100 fly (1:01.04), and added a best time in 200 fly (2:15.09).  Catherine Belyakov also made finals in 200 breast (2:35.83), and added a best time in 200 IM.  Also swimming well were Molly Benson in 200 fly, Eamon Smith in 200 back, and Jane Umhofer in 100 and 200 breast.

In addition, RMSC alumnus Griffin Alaniz of Florida State University, qualified for 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials by placing 5th in 100 back in 54.76, and added another Trials cut with a 2:01.65 in 200 back.  Several other RMSC alumni competed in the meet, including Arizona State’s Alex Colson, Villanova’s Kaitlin Gravell, and Virginia Tech’s Ryan Vipavetz.

National Team competes at NCSA Summer Junior Nationals

RMSC’s National Team recently traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete at NCSA Summer Long Course Junior Nationals on August 6-10. Many of the fastest 18&Under swimmers in the country competed at the meet, representing approximately 120 clubs. 37 swimmers and six coaches made the trip, and the team finished in 11th place. The top 24 finishers scored points for the club, while the top 32 made it back to finals.

Catherine Belyakov led the team in scoring with 84 points, including top 8 finishes in 100 and 200 breast (1:12.21 and 2:36.85) and 200 IM (2:20.72), and a top 16 in 50 breast. Joyce Wu also made the podium with top 8s in 50 and 100 breast (33.15 and 1:12.23), and a top 16 in 200 breast. We also had top 16 finishes by Abby Carr and Molly Benson in 200 fly, Kaitlin Gravell in 400 IM, Sean Santos in 1500 free, and Jane Umhofer in 200 breast. Also qualifying for finals swims with top 32 finishes in individual events were: Ziad Bandak, Zach Bayler, Ryan Gruner, Cody Kim, Alvin Kimwon, Chris Ma, Drew Munson, Maria Sawadogo, Andrei Schwartz, Eamon Smith, Jonik Surprenant, Andie Weitzman, and Pierre Zeineddin. In addition, Toby Barnett broke the 21 year-old team record in 13-14 200 breast with a 2:27.26.

We also had some excellent performances in relays. Our highest finishes came in the boys’ 800 free relay (Kim, Surprenant, Bandak, Munson) and 400 medley relay (Schwartz, A.J. Navaleza, Ma, Munson), both taking 9th. We also had a new team record 4:21.52 in the girls’ 400 medley relay by Sarah Culkin, Belyakov, Carr, and Tia Thomas, as they finished top 16.

Three RMSC swimmers received another special honor: Abby Carr, Joyce Wu and Chris Ma were selected by the NCSA to attend the NCSA training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs this September. They earned the selection by having high finishes among 16&Under swimmers in Olympic events.

In addition, Belyakov, Benson, Carr, Gravell, Schwartz, Umhofer, and Wu qualified for the 2019 Toyota U.S. Open (Winter Nationals), to be held this December in Atlanta, GA.

Congratulations to everyone on some fast swimming

J.Wu and C.Belyakov top 8 in Women’s 100 Breastroke

J.Wu and C.Belyakov top 8 in Women’s 100 Breastroke

Away they go...Cheadle to Maine and Loayza to York College of Penn.

Long-time teammates Quintin Cheadle and Andrew Loayza are happy to announce their college commitments for the fall of 2019. The two train together at Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club and are also teammates at Col. Zadok Magruder High School and on the Summer League team, Norbeck Hills Swim Club.

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QUINTIN CHEADLE – UNIVERSITY OF MAINE

Cheadle has verbally committed to the Black Bears and plans to study Business: “I chose the University of Maine because of their amazing hospitality and superior academic outlook. The campus is beautiful and the coaching staff is great. I can see myself growing as a swimmer, intellectually, and as a person at the University of Maine. Go black bears!”

Cheadle specializes in fly and free and recently competed at the Eastern Zone Sectionals in Christiansburg, VA, making multiple finals appearances. He is team captain at Col. Zadok Magruder High School, and finaled at the 2019 Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships (“Metros”).

Top SCY times:

  • 200 fly – 1:55.62

  • 1650 free – 16:32.62

  • 1000 free – 9:50.00

  • 500 free – 4:48.47

Cheadle would have been Maine’s top 200 flyer and miler and third-fastest 500 freestyler in 2018-19. He would have joined freshman Conor Hughes and junior Kevin Kane in the B final of the 500 free at 2019 America East Championships. He would have placed 7th in the 1650 free, just ahead of Hughes, and he would have been an A-finalist in the 200 fly with Kane and freshman Rooster Cardin.

Photo courtesy of the Loayza family

ANDREW LOAYZA – YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA

Loayza verbally committed to the Spartans and plans to study Mechanical Engineering: “I chose York College because it provides me with the best opportunity to succeed academically and athletically. The moment I walked on campus, the coach and team made me feel right at home. I am excited to join such an amazing learning environment. Go Spartans!”

Loayza swims back and free and recently competed at the Eastern Zone Sectionals in Christiansburg, VA. He scored at the Maryland 4A/3A State High School Championships for Col. Zadok Magruder High School.

Top SCY times:

  • 200 back – 1:57.97

  • 500 free – 4:52.00

  • 1000 free – 10:08.44

  • 1650 free – 17:11.77

Loayza would have been the 3rd-fastest 200 backstroker, the third 500 freestyler, and the second miler on the York squad this year. He would have scored in the top-8 of the 500 free, 1650 free, and 200 back at the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference Championships. He will overlap two years with Keven Stahl who placed 12th in the 1650 free and 14th in the 500 free at 2019 NCAA Division III Championships. He will also swim one year with backstroker Greg Williams and two years with Connor McIlroy.

Cheadle and Loayza become the 5th and 6th seniors from the RMSC-Olney National Training Group’s class of 2019 to commit to swim in college, joining Natalie Dobrzykowski (University of Delaware), Drew Munson (Towson University), Ryan Vipavetz (Virginia Tech), and Nathan Watts (U.S. Naval Academy).

RMSC's Catherine Belyakov Commits to Duke in 2020.

Duke University has received a new verbal commitment from Gaithersburg, Md. breaststroker Catherine Belyakov beginning in the 2020-21 season.

Belyakov swims year-round with Rockville Montgomery Swim Club and owns a pair of U.S. Open cuts with three additional Winter Junior standards. She most recently competed at NCSAs where she finished 10th in both the 100/200 breast and achieved four new lifetime bests. She competed in four events at Winter Nationals in November and capped off her long course season with three top-6 finishes at NCSA LCM Championships. Also competing for Quince Orchard High School, the NISCA All-American has won the 100 breast and 200 IM the past two seasons at the Maryland 3A/4A State Championships.

She told Swimming World:

“I am thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at Duke University. I am beyond thankful for the support of my family, friends, coaches and teachers! #GoDuke”

Her best times include:

  • 100 breast – 1:01.67

  • 200 breast – 2:14.69

  • 200 IM – 2:01.41

  • 400 IM – 4:22.27

  • 100 fly – 54.44

Belyakov will make an immediate impact when she arrives in Durham as a member of the class of 2024. Even with 1.5 years of club swimming still to go, she would’ve scored in the C-final of both breaststroke events at the 2019 ACC Championships.

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Spring NCSA Junior Nationals Recap

RMSC’s National Team recently travelled to Orlando, FL to compete at NCSA Junior Nationals on March 19-23.  The meet featured approximately 1500 of the fastest 18&U swimmers in the country, representing nearly 200 clubs.  Each event was fiercely competitive, often featuring over 200 swimmers, and occasionally over 300.  The top 24 finishers scored points for the club, while the top 40 made it back to finals.  51 swimmers and six coaches made the trip, and the team produced some of our best results in several seasons, culminating with the Boys receiving a new banner for finishing 2nd with 659 points. Combined, the team finished 5th overall with 793 points, and both Boys and Combined were over 200 point improvements from last season. 

Many of the best swims in this team effort came on relays, where for the first time in many years, all five Boys A relays made the podium (top 8).  The quartet of Steven Mendley, Timmy Ellett, Alex Colson, and Ryan Vipavetz finished 2nd in the 200 Free Relay and 6th in the 400 Free Relay.  Colson, Ellett, Connor Din, and Vipavetz finished 4th in the 800 Free Relay.  Andrei Schwartz, Ellett, Colson, and Mendley took 4th in the 400 Medley Relay and 5th in the 200 Medley Relay.  Our depth also showed through as two B relays added points with top 16 finishes: the 800 Free Relay (Mendley, Marrick Golladay, Cody Kim, Bobby O’Donnell) and the 400 Medley Relay (Max Casey-Bolanos, Zach Bayler, Chris Ma, Vipavetz). 

Individually, Ryan Vipavetz led the team with 120 points.  He won the 1000 free (9:07.56), made the podium with top 8’s in 500 free and 200 fly, was top 16 in 200 free, and top 24 in 100 fly.  Alex Colson also cracked the 100 point mark, featuring 1st place finishes in 100 fly (47.32) and 200 fly (1:45.40), top 16 finishes in 100 IM and 400 IM, and top 24 finishes in 50 free and 200 IM.  Timmy Ellett was top 8 in 200 IM and 400 IM, top 16 in 200 back and 100 IM, and top 24 in 100 breast and 200 breast.  Steven Mendley was top 16 in 50 fly and added top 40 finishes in 50 free, 100 free, and 200 free.  Chris Ma was top 16 in 100 fly, top 24 in 200 fly, and top 40 in 50 fly.  Andrei Schwartz was top 24 in 50 back and top 40 in 100 back.  Also adding top 40 finishes were: Zach Bayler, John Clado, Sean Santos, and Pierre Zeinnedin. 

On the Girls’ side, Catherine Belyakov was our top scorer with 60 points.  She had top 16 finishes in 50 breast, 100 breast, 200 breast, and 100 IM, and a top 24 in 200 IM.  Kaitlin Gravell had top 16 finishes in 1000 free and 400 IM, and a top 40 in 200 breast.  Joyce Wu was top 24 in 50 breast and added a top 40 in 100 breast.  Also adding top 40 finishes were: Molly Benson, Abby Carr, Sarah Culkin, and Sophia Ryan.

The Girls scored points with top 24 finishes in the 800 Free Relay (C.Belyakov, Benson, Natalie Dobrzykowski, Ryan), 200 Medley Relay (Kate Cosgrove, C.Belyakov, Carr, Benson), and 400 Medley Relay (Ryan, C.Belyakov, Carr, Benson).  Also contributing to top 40 relays were: Anastasia Belyakov, Moshelle Borjigin, Meaghan Doyle, Katie Gould, Alli Marney-Bell, and Tia Thomas.

Once again, we appreciate the generous contribution from the Riley Eaton Foundation to help make this trip possible.  The National Team will next be in action at Long Course NCSA Junior Nationals in Indianapolis this August 6-10.

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