Fauquier Springs CC Sharks bring bite to summer swim season
By Jeff Malmgren
Sibling swimmers appear to be a boon to the Fauquier Springs Sharks this season.
Gannon, Macklin and Sidney Boone aren’t the only example, either. With Macklin swimming in the 15-18 age group, Sidney serving as assistant coach and Gannon doing both, the Boones are the only trio, but Fauquier Springs also has at least a dozen other groups of swimmers that share a last name.
Among them are Sophia and Emilia Fusco, Sierra and Hunter Heifner, Amanda and Courtney Maskell, Cesar and Jamie McCloud, Ellen and Shea Mulholland, Jack and Ben Pieja, Megan and Michelle Rosenberger, Chloe and Claire Shorb, Andrew and Madeline Sullivan, Logan and Parker Van de Water, Tom and Henry Weber, and Benjamin and Taylor Young.
Swimming as a family affair is not rare for any team in the Tri-County League, but if it weren’t for these siblings, Fauquier Springs would have a hard time fielding a team. As is, Fauquier Springs is one of the smaller teams in the TCL with 65 members.
“When we’re up against FSC (Fauquier Swim Club) and Culpeper Rec, they probably double us in number of swimmers, so based on numbers alone they’re going to win,” Sharks coach Kyle Austin said. “But we definitely have a talented team and they’re capable of learning a lot in the few weeks we have left.”
The season will end July 18 with an all-star meet.
Fauquier Springs opened the season with a loss to Fauquier Swim Club last Tuesday, but it won Saturday, 576-507, against Chestnut Forks, a team of comparable size.
Younger swimmers make up the majority of the Fauquier Springs roster. The 9-10 age group was particularly strong for the Sharks in its dual meet against Chestnut Forks. In that division, Sidney Farber won five individual events and three relays, Amanda Maskell won three individual events and one relay and Julia Massimiano won one individual event.
“There are some pretty good swimmers in that age group,” Austin said. “We’re definitely a younger team. (The numbers) are pretty even from 8-and-under through 11-12 and then 13-18 is a drop off a little bit..."See the Friday print issue of the Fauquier Times-Democrat Weekend Edition for the complete story.