GTSA Finds Fast Swims Under Their Christmas Tree

           Over the weekend 42 GTSA swimmers participated in the Jingle Bell Invitational in Clearwater, FL.  That is the most swimmers GTSA has taken to a meet in recent history!  Although the team did not attend finals on Sunday, to enjoy ourselves at our annual Christmas party, the team finished in 7^th place with 829.5 points!  26 different swimmers earned point over the three days.  The 8&under boys that consisted of Noah Halpern and Jayson Reddick contributed 103 points which got them 2^nd among 8&under boys teams.  The team had 55% best times on the weekend including 100% personal bests from Ana DeLong, Elsa DeLong, Larry Gomez, Tanner Heath, Jayson Reddick, and Sidney Whitfield.  The great swimming also included Matthew Dieffenthaller, Maggie Mullen, and Grace Sanchez achieving new Florida Age Group State Championship (FLAG) standards in their respective age groups!  We also had multiple swimmers compete in their first meets for GTSA including Aliya Bergen, Benjamin Bergen, Carolina Martinez, and Clara Stirewalt.  It was a great weekend of swimming that was capped off by a great party Sunday night.  Thanks again to all that helped in making it such a success.  GTSA will spend the rest of the holiday season working hard in the pool preparing for their first meet of 2012 back in Clearwater in January.