Championship Season: A Rising Wave of Mighty Barracudas

Championship Season: A Rising Wave of Mighty Barracudas
July 16, 2025

There are some meets where the results finally catch up to all the hard work that preceded them for so long. For our Mighty Barracudas competing at the 2025 Ontario Swimming Championships (OSC), it was one of those meets. The week was filled with unforgettable moments, breakthrough swims, and the kind of growth that reminds us why we keep showing up every day for this sport we love.

For many of our more novice swimmers, this was their first taste of a high-level championship meet. They showed up prepared, determined, and ready to learn. For our more seasoned swimmers, they lead by example, from making healthy choices on team travel through to throwing down elite performances in the pool. From first-time provincial medalists to new club records to adding new national cuts, our team made a statement: the next wave of Barracudas is ready to be out in front.

And while this weekend wasn’t flawless, it also didn’t need to be. Some of our swimmers faced tough races, nerves, or unexpected pressure — the kind that comes with big goals and big meets. But even in those moments, they showed resilience. Many were able to reset, shake it off, finish stronger and by all definitions find success both in the pool and out.

The thread that tied all of these swimmers together and enabled them to excel?

NKB’s culture. At NKB, we don’t just teach strokes; we coach the whole athlete. From goal setting to time management, from building grit to learning how to rise again, we foster growth in and out of the pool. We underscore the physical work with skills such as:

• Ownership – Athletes who take responsibility for their prep, their mindset, and their outcomes.
• Resilience – Growth through challenge, learning to bounce forward, not just back.
• Adaptability – Refocusing mid-meet, resetting goals, and learning to pivot under pressure.
• Team Energy – High performance thrives in a positive culture. Fun and speed go hand in hand.

By trusting the process and believing in the culture, we excel. Our system isn’t magic. It’s built on structure, consistency, and supporting every swimmer from their first practice to their biggest breakthrough. OSC’s reminded us what happens when that system works. And it’s only the beginning.

Results that speak Volumes

NKB age group Records

• Kaden Lee: 11–12 50 Backstroke, 32.82
• Levi Yam: 11–12 100 Freestyle, 1:01.21
• 11–12 Boys 400 Free Relay: Kaden Lee, Simon Wang, Jake Earle, Levi Yam, 4:25.63
• Liam Elliot: 13–14 200 Backstroke, 2:10.97 (His first National cut and one of the youngest male qualifiers in NKB’s recent history!)
• Jordan Schaepper: 17 & Over 800 Free, 8:19.93

💚🖤 Let’s keep building. The next wave of Mighty Barracudas is already making a splash.