After being among more than 350 swimmers at the Alaska Age Group Champs meet in Juneau recently, 11-year-old Brennan Palmieri has one tip for next year.
“Find a place to sit at the beginning,” said Palmieri, who competed in six events for the Haines Dolphins swim team. “The first two days, we pretty much just stood up the whole time.”
Palmieri entered the 50-yard backstroke; 50 fly; 50 freestyle; 100 breaststroke; and 100 individual medley; and placed eighth in the 50 breaststroke.
Skye Posey, 13, also represented the Dolphins in six events at the Feb. 13-15 meet after posting the necessary qualifying times for her age group, and provided some coaching advice.
“I was really nervous and Skye kept reminding me that instead of being nervous, it was excitement,” Palmieri said. “That helped boost my energy level so I could swim faster.”
Posey swam the 50 freestyle; 200 backstroke; 200 freestyle; 200 IM; and 100 backstroke. Her best result, ninth place, was in the grueling 500 freestyle.
“I’ve been doing it for two years and it’s by far my best event,” she said.
Posey said she sets a “medium-fast pace” in the 500 that allows her to “gradually pick up pace until all-out sprinting” to finish strong. “It’s half pacing yourself and half trying to keep up with or ahead of everybody else.”
Athletes from 21 teams competed at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center, with top honors going to Anchorage and Juneau squads.
“It’s very inspiring to see what other kids are doing,” said James Alborough, who attended with his daughter, Posey. “Compared to the amount that the Dolphins train, these other teams are doing two-a-day workouts, six or seven days a week.”
He noted some of the top swimmers compete regionally and nationally. Palmieri and Posey, though, have picked up some prestige of their own, qualifying for the Alaska Junior Olympics in April in multiple events.
Coach Robert Butker said the Dolphins’ small numbers mean several swimmers must be a “Jack of all trades” rather than just sticking with a few events. That was clear as he looked at results for Palmieri and Posey. “I was impressed by how many times they had.”
The two Dolphins eventually did take a seat, sharing a bench with swimmers from Valdez.
“I thought it was really fun and I got to meet really cool friends from all over the state,” Palmieri said.
Next up for the Dolphins is their second annual community swim meet 10 a.m. Saturday, March 7.
The meet includes the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle at 50-yard and 100-yard distances; 100 freestyle; 100 individual medley; 200 freestyle; 200 freestyle relay; and 200 medley relay. Among the less standard events are the wet T-shirt relay; cannonball/splash contest; underwater obstacle course; two-person tug of war; survival suit swim; and Idita-Swim, with swimmers towing rafts.
Sign-up sheets are posted at the swimming pool, and the $5 entry fee covers multiple events.