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36 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009 MACK ATTACK: Mack Darragh, pictured in action from last season, is one of the Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) swimmers that will compete at this year's Australian Youth Olympic Festival. OAK is preparing for its 42nd season and hopes to duplicate the success it enjoyed last year, when its swimmers set more than 300 club records. OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO OAK swimmers look to build on last season's success By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With the Canada Games approaching this past summer, Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) head coach Alex Wallingford was pretty confident his club could land one or two swimmers on the Ontario team. He couldn't have been more wrong. "I didn't plan to have six," said Wallingford, who was also named as an Ontario coach. "I didn't anticipate that." Nor could he have envisioned their success in Prince Edward Island, where each OAK swimmer made it to the podium at least once, combining to win 14 medals in all. Of course, the Canada Games was just the icing on an already rich cake. By that time, OAK had already won the Central Region and Ontario long-course title, finished fourth at the Canadian Age Group championships, set 10 national age group records and established two new Ontario and one senior national mark. It was an unprecedented year of success that saw the club's own record book rewritten with 283 individual and 50 relay records falling. "I knew we could be very competitive," Wallingford said, "but to have some of the big breakthrough swims and a national record, it exceeded our expectations." The only question OAK swimmers left unanswered is, what do you do for an encore? With the club preparing to open its 42nd season, it's preparing to provide an answer. Wallingford said last season's success can only lead to more great results as younger swimmers are inspired by the club's top performers. "When they see what the older swimmers are accomplishing, it's reflected in their own performance. It carries over into their own meets," Wallingford said. "It's really motivating for them to look at the club newsletter or the website or to see the club banners." Tera Van Beilen led the OAK contingent at the Canada Games with a Michael Phelpslike performance, winning gold medals in all six of her events "I love going to (matching yet another record). practice. We have When she arrived at such a great OAK four years ago, group of people I she saw Zack admire at my Chetrat "travelling swim club." everywhere to swim." OAK swimmer While Chetrat's Tera Van Beilen travels provided the initial spark, Van Beilen soon shifted her attention to her rivals at meets. The Grade 11 student at King's Christian Collegiate wanted to be at the same level as her competitors, though she has since surpassed most, if not all of them. In December, Van Beilen will compete at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival -- along with teammates Julie Calvert and Mack Darragh -- the same event Chetrat competed in three years earlier. That achievement was earned with many hours in the pool. And while it certainly takes a lot of hard work, Van Beilen doesn't see it that way. "I love going to practice," she said. "We have such a great group of people I admire at my swim club." What does Van Beilen think of her performances inspiring the next generation of swimmers? "That feels really good," she said. "It's very empowering thinking that younger swimmers aspire to be like me." Wallingford said training with someone who has accomplished something great can make far-away goals seem more realistic. "It puts it in perspective that they can do it if their teammate can do it." www.icesports.com 905-845-6989