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The State of a Lifetime

By Sydney Klingler
Swimming Editor
sydney.klingler@gmail.com
    While most of the Alta Student Body was out having fun doing day activities before the Sweethearts Dance, the swimmers were focused on another task entirely. At the pool in the BYU Richards Building, the 2012 state competition was starting the second and final day of the state competition. This two day competition did not disappoint in the eyes of Alta High’s swimmers. The Girls came out in third place and the Boys finished with a strong fourteenth place, both sides of the team scored higher than projected. In addition to a great success in points, Alta High School’s Swim Team set or tied eight school records as well as a Utah High School Swimming record. Both of the Girls Relays, 200 Medley and 400 Freestyle--consisting of Hailey Wilkinson, Brianna Francis, Alicia May, and Taylor Coffey—accomplished an incredible feat and took first overall.
    Brianna Francis, Junior, was named the 2011-2012 5A Female Swimmer of the Year and set school records in the 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, and Girls 100 Breaststroke. In addition to those, she broke the state record in the Girls 200 Individual Medley.
     Alicia May, Junior, now holds the school records for the Girls 50 Freestyle—a 2008 record that had remained untouched until now. She was also part of the record holding 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay teams and now holds the 100 Freestyle record.
    Jayden Rasband broke the school records for the Boys 200 Freestyle and 500 Freestyle. The high school Junior shattered his previous 500 Freestyle time by dropping an unheard of 14.56 seconds.
   Seniors Hailey Wilkinson and Taylor Coffey were part of the Girls 200 Medley Relay and the Girls 400 Freestyle Relay and now  hold school records in both.
    All five of these swimmers were named All-State Swimmers at the conclusion of the meet. 
    In addition to these incredible events, Patrick Thurman, Julie Abrahamson, and Dayne Shaw, were recognized by the other coaches around the state with Thurman receiving Girls’ Swimming Coach of the Year from the UHSAA. 
     Alta High School Swimming had an incredible season that will not soon be forgotten by its team members. The state competition was intense and every Alta State Swimmer left everything they had in the pool by the  end of the day on February 11, 2012.
Posted 2/22/12

Swimming
to State

Sydney Klingler
Swimming/Track & Field Editor
Sydney.klingler@gmail.com
    What is there to say about a team that posted 65% best times? 
    The 2012 Region Meet held rewards of 4 school records, 6 Academic All-Region awards, 10 All-Region swim rankings, and 89 best times tomake for yet another amazing season for the Alta Swim Team.
    Hailey Wilkinson, Brianna Francis, Jordyn Hansen, and Tara Kuhn broke the Womens 200 Medley Relay record for another time during the 2011-2012 season.
Posted 2/22/12

Captain
Coff-Drop

Carolyn Webber
World Editor
carolynwebs@hotmail.com

    Alta’s swim team brought nineteen swimmers to state last weekend. Everyone accomplished the goals to cut times and break records. Senior Taylor Coffey has the credentials to do some great things. Taylor has been swimming for six years and has been on the swim team for four of those years. She said that swimming made high school so much better because “It’s fun to look forward to competing. Also, being a part of a team helps to make friends.” And with an extremely close team, it’s easy to feel welcome. 
    Both the boys and the girls on the team spend lots of time together at practices and competing. Taylor says that she spends about twelve hours training each week, so she’s with fellow team members for lots of time. Luckily, the other swimmers are in similar classes so they can all help each other with homework. It takes a lot of effort to balance swim and school, but Taylor and the swim coach place an emphasis on keeping up with schoolwork. 
    Last year, Alta took 2nd overall in the state. Taylor’s greatest accomplishment came out of that meet, where her team placed first in the 200 free relay. Each swimmer must qualify individually to swim in the state meet, and Taylor is swimming in four events this year- 50 free, 100 free, medley relay, and 400 free relay. Her best event is the 100 free, but she says that relays are the most fun. Her personal goals for this weekend are to break the school records in the relays. Taylor and other members of the swim team have trained long and hard for this weekend. With a patronus as a marlin, it’s no wonder her speed is incredible.
Posted 2/16/12

Swim to the Finish!

    Alta swim team fight hard to the finish, the girls pulled through and won with 114 against cottonwood high school who score a 56. Though the boys did not win they did pretty well with a score of 64. That though is not why everyone was so happy at the end though; Alta high school raised approximately $1800 for breast cancer. What a great way to end the meet. 
    No matter what the score had been, raising money for such a great cause would have put a smile on the swimmers one way or another. It shows true dedications from the Alta swim team to swim for a cause they believe in, it is admirable.  
    Some of the girls and boys that took third place or higher in the 50 yard free were Alicia May, Tara Kuhn, and Andrew Bakker. In the 100 yard breast stroke for the girls was Aubrey Nelson and Aubrey Eaton who took second and third, Ryland Savage and Andrew Bakker too second and third for the boys. It was a great day for the Alta swim team!
Posted 2/16/12

Doom on Jordan
By Sydney Klingler
Swimming/Track & Field Editor
sydney.klingler@gmail.com

Picture
Congratulations to our seniors! Andrew Bakker, Taylor Hodson, Jayden Rasband (wannabe senior), Atticus Shelley, Kayla Bytendorp, Kelsie Bowler, Alexa Pazell, Rachel Enniss, Taylor Coffey, Hailey Wilkinson, and Abbey Diener. Photo by Stephanie Kuhn
        Last night, the swim team had the last home swim meet of the 2012 school year. With 59 best times and a clear win against Jordan, the team did not disappoint. 
        This was the last high school home swim meet for all of the seniors and, to honor their hard work and dedication to the team and the sport, the tradition continued as they were recognized during the break.
        In addition to a great recognition ceremony, the team was able to see Tanner Inkley get what he has been working for all season. He swam in the Men’s Medley Relay X. Tanner swam freestyle for the relay team consisting of Jayden Rasband on backstroke, Ryland Savage on breaststroke, and senior Andrew Bakker on butterfly. 
        With Region 3 Championships next Saturday, Alta’s Swim Team is still working away at practice in an unending effort to compete in the
State Championships on February 11.
 Posted 1/20/11

For the Win Against West Jordan

By Sydney Klingler
Swimming/ Track & Field Editor
sydney.klingler@gmail.com
    The boys and girls teams experienced a great win against the West Jordan Swim Team on January fifth--only four days back from Winter Break. 
    Many swimmers practiced twice a day over the break (a.k.a. Two-a-days) and the success was clear as glass. Sophomore Nathan Hood dropped 26 seconds in the 500 Freestyle and many other swimmers showed great ability in races they hardly, if ever, compete in.
Posted 1/13/11

Highlights of 2011

By Sydney Klingler
Swimming/Track & Field Editor
sydney.klingler@gmail.com

Brighton @ Alta
    Hailey Wilkinson, Brianna Francis, Alicia May, and Tara Kuhn broke the school record for the 200 Medley Relay. In addition to the new record, girls went away from the meet with victories in all three relays.

Copper Hills @ Alta
    Brianna Francis set a new Alta record for the 100 Backstroke. The men pulled away with a victory against the women in the annual weeklong Gender Wars competition.

Thanksgiving Invitational
    After a late night and very early morning, the team showed great enthusiasm at the yearly 26-team invitational with the girls ending up in third place overall.

Just keep swimming!

Picture
Sleep, swim, stay warm. The requirements swimmers live by at the Thanksgiving Invitational. Photo by Boston Bijou.
Alta @ Riverton
    Both the men and women won the fourth meet of the season with 99 best times. The 100 Breaststroke record was shattered by Junior Brianna Francis.
Posted 1/13/12

Record-Breakers: State Championship

Alta Record: Girls Medley Relay of Hailey Wilkinson, Brianna Francis, Alicia May, and Taylor Coffey
Alta Record: Jayden Rasband in the Boys 200 Freestyle
State Record and Alta Record: Brianna Francis in the Girls 200 Individual Medley (IM)
Alta Record: Alicia May in the Girls 50 Freestyle
Alta Record: Jayden Rasband in the Boys 500 Freestyle
Alta Record: Brianna Francis in the Girls 100 Breaststroke
Alta Record: Alicia May in the Girls 100 Freestyle
Alta Record: Girls 400 Freestyle Relay of Alicia May, Taylor Coffey, Hailey Wilkinson, and Brianna Francis

Meet Results

Alta scores are in red

5A State Championships
(2/10-2/11)
Women: 3rd Place
Men: 14th Place

Region 3 Championships (1/28)
Women: 2nd Place
Men: 3rd Place
Overall: 2nd Place

Jordan @ Alta (1/19)
Women: 129 - 37
Men: 103 - 67

West Jordan @ Alta
Women: 112 - 55
Men: 91 - 79

Brighton @ Alta (12/15)
Women: 91 - 70
Men: 128 - 42

Copper Hills @
Alta (12/8)
Women: 118 - 48
Men: 96 - 71

Park City @ Alta (12/1)
Women: 104 - 64
Men: 89 - 81

Thanksgiving Invitational (11/18-11/19)
Women: 3rd place overall
Men: not last place :)

Alta @ Riverton (10/27)
Women: 99 - 88
Men:
95 - 92

Alta @ Bingham (11/3)
Women: 108 -
62
Men: 124 - 46

Alta @ Skyline (11/8)
Women: 118 -
52
Men:  125 - 45

Kearns @ Alta (11/15)
Women: 97.5 - 72.5
Men: 119 - 51

Coaching Information

Head Coach:
Patrick Thurman
Asst. Coaches:
Dayne Shaw
Julie Abrahamson
Boys' Captains:
Andrew Bakker
Atticus Shelley
Jayden Rasband
Girls' Captains:
Taylor Coffey
Hailey Wilkinson
Abbey Diener