Malta Swim Team in Harlem

The Malta Swim team took thirteen swimmers to the Harlem Meet, the team’s first meet of the season. Malta’s swimmers were fifth out of 14 teams.

“It was a good meet,” Malta Swim Team Head Coach Cassie Pratt said. “Obviously it was the first meet so everyone is going to be a little slower and out of shape but it leaves the rest of the season open for tons of improvement.”

Though there were no high point winners at the meet, the team performed well led by senior swimmer Shay Garfield, who scored 40 out of 42 points.

Garfield won first in the Women’s 15-19 200 IM, setting a new Harlem pool record of 3:03.19. She also won the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:22.63 and took second in the 100 Backstroke with a time of 1:24.76.

“Shay did really well for her age group,” Coach Pratt said. “She ended up taking two seconds off of her Breaststroke, which I was super happy about. Her flip-turns were amazing and she worked very hard to get that first place.”

In her second season of coaching, Coach Pratt is better prepared for this season and has learned some things.

“Having more patience starting off in the beginning of the season just because the kids are coming off of different sports,” she said. “They are not in shape for swim team but for another sport; just having patience with that and knowing that their bodies can only do so much.”

She also learned another lesson.

“To have more fun with it,” Coach Pratt said. “I really enjoy this sport and have loved it for a really long time. So I want to put that out with the other kids, to make it fun but also competitive for them.”

Individual Swimmer placement in the finals are as follows:

Bantam 8 and under Girls: Miracle Love: 10th. Boys: Michael Love: 4th, Jahmiah Huffman: 5th.

Midget 9-10 Girls: Denvyr Tuss: 6th, Brittney Sorlie: 15th. Boys: Mathew Hunter: tied for 9th.

Junior 11-12 Girls: Lauren Tuss: tied for 8th.

Intermediate 13-14 Boys: Darrow Messerly: 3rd, Connor Tuss: 8th, Dallan Messerly: 17th.

Senior 15-19 Girls: Shay Garfield tied for 2nd; Erika Nagy: tied for 6th.