Their vision falling over the waters at LISD Westside Aquatic Center, the Jesuit Swim Team prepares to dominate another swim meet in a long season. On January 9th, 2016, the Rangers swam in the Kyle Tilley Invitational Meet against many north Texas swim programs, some teams from as far away as Austin, Texas. The meet, though exciting, has a tragic background.
Founded in 2015-2016, the meet is named after a club swimming coach from Lakeside Aquatic Club (LAC) who was tragically killed in a car accident at the age of 26. Kyle was the former assistant swim coach for Flower Mound High and for LAC. This year, the Jesuit swim team wore purple ribbons on their team shirts in honor of Kyle Tilley. Head Coach Doug Moyse described Tilley as “an exceptional young man with a bright future in coaching the sport.”
When discussing how the team swam and executed in the meet, Moyse shared with The Roundup, “Not everyone was able to reach a personal best, because we trained through the meet. However, Santiago Arenas ’18 had a best 100 backstroke” helping the team immensely when earning points in the meet. “Timmy Bedard ’17 also had a best ‘non-rested’ 500 freestyle,” an impressive feat when training through the meet. Moyse also thought, “our flip turns were impressive, and we did not breathe off the wall as much as we have in the past.”
Several of the swimmers thought that the team performed well at the meet as well as being respectful of Kyle Tilley; junior Abbas Hussain ’17 thought, “The team was very respectful of the Tilley family and we honored Kyle Tilley gracefully. Each swimmer wore a purple ribbon right underneath the Jesuit Swimming emblem, to show respect towards Tilley.” Furthermore, Hussain stated “Eamon Stack ’17 really stood out to me in the meet. He posted some best times in the 200 free relay which really helped the team.” Hussain did say that “mistakes were made” at the meet, but “the team’s chemistry has really grown over the course of the season. We have grown and through that process of growing, we have helped motivate each other in practice, the weight room, and during meets. Every single person on the team is excited for meets and ready to put all of their efforts. And that is a special feeling when you are on a team that cares that much about each other and the sport.“
Another swimmer, Jonathon Matthews ’17 said that “Mason Scott ‘18 swam well at the meet, especially in his 200 backstroke. Braden Barale ‘19 also swam well, and he is emerging as a quite fast distance swimmer.” Matthews added that he “expect[s] the team to perform very well at the district meets and hopefully we can come back and claim the district title from Highland Park for the second straight year.”
Sophomore Mason Scott agreed that “Braden Barale swam very well in the meet, along with astounding senior Brendan Feehery ’16.” Scott thought, “the support for our teammates was great and we pushed each other during the meet to not DQ off of our starts and our walls.”
The next swim meet is this Friday, January 29th at Loos Natatorium and at Plano Aquatic Center. Come out and support your Rangers!
