Photo Courtesy Hill ’ s Studio
The girls ’ swimming team went undefeated this first season in their new pool and won the section championship .
training for different kinds of events . The new pool has really motivated the kids to swim fast .”
For diving coach Vernon Yenick , the natatorium attracted talented athletes who blended nicely with his existing top‐performers . Coach Yenick says divers from his team , as well as those from visiting teams , have raved about the new diving boards and say they are the best in the entire area .
“ The spring in the new boards led to some incredible jumping in the divers ’ approaches ,” says Coach Yenick . The approach can greatly influence the success or failure of the actual dive . One athlete who benefited from the improved boards was sophomore diver Jonah Cagley . He not only qualified for the WPIAL diving championship , but won first place , becoming the first Fox Chapel Area diver in history to do so . He beat the second place finisher by more than 30 points ! Earlier in the regular season , he made history at the new pool by surpassing a scoring record set by JB Kolod , a Fox Chapel Area alum who went on to have a stellar diving career at the University of Virginia and was an Olympic trials qualifier .
Additionally , freshman novice Nate Serkov was the first on the team to qualify for the WPIAL diving championship , and he did it at the team ’ s very first home meet in the new pool , in his first set of dives , in his first-ever diving competition . His success was even more remarkable considering the WPIAL increased the qualifying level by 20 points this season . A total of five divers advanced to the WPIAL championship .
Coach Yenick , who has mentored some of the area ’ s top divers , adds , “ Having a great new pool , more interest in the program , and an amazing team doing incredible things – it ’ s more than I could have ever possibly imagined or hoped for . We have the strength and ability to be great performers , kids who are great people and great athletes , and a crazy beautiful pool that is by far the best in Western Pennsylvania . It ’ s exciting just to walk into the complex .”
Photo Courtesy Primetime Shots
Photo Courtesy Primetime Shots Photo Courtesy Hill ’ s Studio ox Chapel Area FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS
Fox Chapel Area | Spring 2017 | icmags . com 21