Cougar Aquatic Team: Welcome

Welcome to the Cougars Den

Founded in 1985, CAT is a recognized USA swim team that practices at the Haddam-Killingworth High School pool and competes at several locations and colleges around Connecticut and New England. Under the sponsorship of the Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department, CAT provides competitive training programs where individual needs and goals are given careful consideration. Swimmers are grouped based on ability, age, and objectives.   Practices are available seven days a week with incorporated dry land training (strength training and exercises outside of the water), as well as periodic specialized clinics. Our team is open to swimmers with the desire and determination to succeed in a sport strongly dominated by outstanding student athletes. 

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Cougar Aquatic Team is to provide a competitive swimming program to Haddam and Killingworth, and its surrounding towns, that will develop student athletes who are a credit to society.  By providing high quality training for age group, senior, and   elite swimmers, emphasizing physical, social, and emotional development, the Cougar Aquatic Team is committed to excellence and dedicated to empowering our student athletes to be champions in and out of the water. 

We will measure our success by

our individual progress, team unity, and family participation.

   OUR VISION  

The vision of the Cougar Aquatic Team is to continue its dedication

in providing a competitive swimming program that consistently

produces student athletes that are a credit to society.

Newcomer Asia Langley competed at the National Diversity Camp on May 2-5 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  She swam with some of the fastest swimmers in the country and one of the nicest facilities in the world.  Great job Asia!

CAT is now accepting registration for new swimmers for the 2013 Long Course Season! The season begins Monday, April 1st for any CAT swimmers and Tuesday, April 2nd for any Age Group CAT swimmers. CAT swimming has something for all ages and abilities. Please contact Coach Mike at coach.mikek@yahoo.com for more information.

Age Group CAT is designed to introduce the sport of competitive swimming to children between the ages of 6-12. While allowing the children to both learn and have fun, the program aims to develop technical stroke skills, advance the level of swimming, enhance fitness levels, and introduce the children to competition between various USA Swimming teams. The program is broken down into two levels. There will be a beginner level which will be focusing mostly on technique and stroke development and the other will be working more on building speed and endurance. Age group CAT was designed to both introduce kids to swimming but also develop them further when they are ready.

Who: Boys and girls ages 6-13
Meets: Practices are 3-4 days a week

Dates: April 2nd - July 21st
Times: Tuesday and Thursdays 5:00-6:30pm

Saturday and Sunday 9:00-10:30am

Senior CAT offers its athletes the opportunity to succeed at the highest achievable level in the sport of swimming. Extensive instruction and training build upon the skill sets developed in Age Group CAT. Results include refined technique, increased endurance and superior competitive results.

Who: Boys and girls ages 10-21
Meets: Practices are 6 days a week

Dates: April 1^st – August 11^th
Time: weeknights 5:00 - 7:00 pm, weekends 7:00 - 9:00 am (times may vary during season)

CAT recently headed down to West Nyack to compete against some strong teams from the Metro division.  Abbey Fusco was dominent in her signature events placing both 1st in the 50 free (24.68) and 100 free (53.33) but also broke out of her shell dropping signicant time in the 200 free (1:53.68), 500 free (5:02.86), 100 back (57.33), 200 back (2:03.53), and 100 fly (58.91).  She recieved the 15&over high point award for her achivements.  Brooke Perotta who did not compete on day 2 had strong performances on day 1 earning wins and best times in the 100 free (53.57) and 100 fly (59.96).  She also dropped 8 seconds in the 200 IM earning her another sectional qualifing time with a 2:09.30.  Caitlin McNary who did earn high point for the 13/14 girls division had great swims in her signature events as well.  After winning the 500 free on Friday with a best time of 5:14.13 she cooled off Saturday only to return to a strong Sunday final in which she went on to win the 200 free (1:57.95) and 100 back (1:01.21).  CAT's other high point recipiant came from Cameron Garrelts who had an amazing meet winning the 100 breastroke (1:03.37), 200 breastroke (2:15.96), 200 IM (2:05.59), and 50 free (23.74).

Newcomer Collin Dunn had a great meet dropping 4 seconds in his 100 breastroke (1:00.02) and 200 breastroke (2:14.28).  Both times were sectional qualifiers and the 100 breastroke time broke the CAT record for 15&overs!  Click on the headline to see a youtube video of Collin's prelims swim of 1:00.02. LANE 6!

 Everyone on the team perfomed amazingly with many best times.  Here are just some of the great resutls from the weekend.

• Eloise Cambell - 200 free
• Lauren Damico - 100 BR, 200 BR, 100 Fly
• Caitlin Mcnary - 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 IM
• Brooke Perrotta - 100 free, 100 fly, 200 IM
• Cassie Garrelts - 200 free, 500 free
• Kelly Dunn - 200 free, 100 BK, 200 BK
• Caitlyn VonFeldt - 100 BK, 200 BK
• Jillian Clemente - 200 fly
• Jordan Clemente - 200 fly
• Abbey Fusco - 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 100 Fly
• Maggie Purvis - 50 free, 200 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 IM
• Claire Hendershot - 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 IM
• Corak McNary - 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 I, 400 IM
• Christo Garrelts - 100 Free, 200 free, 50 BR, 100 BR
• Malone Revis - 200 free
• Kyle Mazziotti - 50 BK, 100 BK
• Drew Donlan - 100 fly 
• Cameron Garrelts - 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 100 BR, 200 BR, 200 IM, 400 IM
• Neal Tyson - 50 free, 100 free
• Jonathan Brodeur - 50 free, 100 BR
• Mason Revis - 100 free, 200 free, 1650 free, 200 BR, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM
• Chris Myers - 100 free, 200 free, 100 BR, 200 BR, 200 IM
• Matt Dagenais - 200 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 BR, 200 IM
• Collin Dunn - 100 BR, 200 BR,400 IM
• Caius Mergy - 100 BR, 200 BR
• Garrett Mazziotti - 100 fly, 200 fly
• Isaac Waide - 1650 free

Consulation Finalists - top 16

• Marissa McNary - 50 free, 100 free, 50 BK, 100 BK, 50 fly, 100 fly
• Emma Donlan - 100 free, 200 free, 100 BK, 50 fly, 100 fly
• Kelsey Damico - 200 free,  200 IM
• Claudia Mergy - 50 BR, 100 BR
• Caitlyn VonFeldt - 50 free, 200 free, 500 free
• Kelly Dunn - 50 free, 100 free, 500 free, 200 IM
• Cassie Garrelts - 100 free, 100 fly, 200 IM
• Jillian Clemente - 100 free, 100 fly
• Coral Mcnary - 50 free, 100 free, 200 free
• Maggie Purvis - 100 free
• Katie Lisitsin - 200 free, 100 BK, 200 BK, 200 IM
• Drew Donlan - 50 BK, 50 Fly
• Dominic Anziano - 50 BR
• Collin Dunn - 50 free, 200 IM
• Matt Dagenais - 100 free,
• Garrett Mazziotti - 100 free, 200 free, 500 free
• Chris Myers - 50 free
• Neal Tyson - 200 free
• Jonathan Brodeur - 200 free, 200 BR
• James Whaley - 500 free, 100 BK, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM

CAT swimming sent 12 swimmers to Florida Sectionals this summer where the kids got a chance to compete against Olympians such as Ryan Lochte (pictured), Elizabeth Beisel, Peter Vanderkaay, and Gemma Spofforth (current World Record holder 100 & 200 BK).  With Ryan are Jake Gibbons, Katie Lisitsin, Tristan Stritzel, Mason Revis, Abbey Fusco, and Coral McNary. 

Over Christmas break, CAT swimmer Isaac Waide was one of 32 swimmers who participated in the NBAC winter training camp.  Here is a picture of Isaac with Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman.

On Saturday, June 30th, CAT participated in the Lake Quassapaug Open Water Championships. The team performed great and here are the results and link to Jake Gibbons winning interview.

http://www.rep-am.com/multimedia/videos/doc4fef6273a5682152103090.txt

Mini-Mile

10&under boys

2^nd place - Christopher Garrelts

11/12 girls

1^st place - Cassandra Garrelts

2^nd place - Marissa McNary

Mile

11/12 girls

2^nd place – Emma Donlan

13/14 girls

3^rd place – Caitlyn McNary

15/16 girls

2^nd place - Claire Hendershot

15/16 boys

1^st place – Jake Gibbons (1^st place overall)

3^rd place – Matt Dagenais

17/18 girls

1^st place – Theresa Goehring