AGUA Newsletter
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Great Work Junior Olympics and Age Group Team Challenge Swimmers
Congratulations to all of our swimmers who competed this weekend at the Metropolitan Swimming Junior Olympics and Age Group Team Challenge. AGUA scored a second-place finish at the Junior Olympics along with national top ten times, relay wins, new championship cuts, and countless personal bests.

AGUA athletes worked together to win five relays between both championship meets. These swimmers include Gillian Asch, Violet Dorsey-Reyes, Tessa Feld, Kelly Hsu, Azana Karim, Tenzin Panamserkhang, Alegra Teixidor-Salerno, Elizabeth Vasquez, Estelle Vernhes, and Heidi Wu.

Individually, AGUA earned six high-point awards - given out to the top three overall point-scorers in each age group:

  • 11-Year-Old Girls: Milly Birch (3rd place)
  • 12-Year-Old Girls: Eva Johnson (3rd place)
  • 11-Year-Old Boys: Bruce Qian (1st place); George Wang (2nd place)
  • 14-Year-Old Boys: David Gutin (2nd place); Oliver Shao (3rd place)

Bruce Qian and Alegra Teixidor-Salerno combined scored four national top ten times. Alegra raced to a new USA Swimming Junior National cut in the 200 breast and the third-fastest time in the country. Bruce posted three top ten rankings in the 50 backstroke (6th), 50 fly (8th), and 100 free (8th).

Shoutout to our individual medalists:

  • Zander Auth - 100 and 200 free
  • Milly Birch - 100 and 200 fly, 200 back, 200 IM
  • Ryan Choi - 200 fly, 100 and 200 back
  • Milo Devine - 50, 100, and 200 breast
  • Lauren Fishbein - 200 breast
  • David Gutin - 100 and 200 fly, 100 back, 200 IM
  • Eva Johnson - 50 fly, 50 and 100 back
  • Azana Karim - 50 and 100 free
  • Maddie Lent - 100 and 200 back, 50 free
  • Josephine Luding - 50 back
  • Daniel Mente - 100 and 200 breast
  • Ethan Pak - 100 and 200 breast
  • Bruce Qian - 50, 100 and 200 fly, 50 and 100 back, 50 and 100 free, 100 and 200 IM
  • Tim Seliger - 50 free and 100 IM
  • Oliver Shao - 200 back, 500 and 1650 free, 200 and 400 IM
  • Alegra Teixidor-Salerno - 100 and 200 breast, 200 and 400 IM
  • Tyler Thompson - 200 fly
  • George Wang - 200 fly, 100 and 200 back, 200 and 400 IM
  • Penny Wheaton - 200 fly
  • Heidi Wu - 100 and 200 back
  • Nia Zagar - 100 breast
Winter Meet Updates
EASTERN ZONE SPEEDO SECTIONALS
  • When: March 24 to March 27, 2022
  • Where: Ithaca College
  • Who: Qualifiers
  • Tentative swimmer call times:
  • Thursday distance session: 2:30pm
  • Friday preliminaries: 6:30am
  • Friday finals: 3:45pm
  • Saturday/Sunday preliminaries and finals: Swimmers should confirm call times with their lead coach at the meet.
  • Uniform requirements:
  • Thursday - Choice AGUA shirt
  • Friday - Black AGUA shirt
  • Saturday - Gray AGUA shirt
  • Sunday - Green AGUA shirt
Sacred Heart Practice Updates
Swimmers whose practice groups train at Sacred Heart should review the updates below effective Monday, March 7, 2022:

  • Masks are optional for Sacred Heart students, staff, and all rental patrons.
  • Daily health screenings are no longer required. If you do not feel well, please do not attend your programs. 
  • Spectators are still not allowed at this time. This policy will be reevaluated in the coming weeks. 
Become a Part of Big Swim Big Kick
Sponsor Big Swim Big Kick and our Big Benefit dinner. Show your support for our biggest annual celebration of sports and fitness, this year honoring coach David Rodriguez and our other wonderful coaches.
Big Benefit will be a dinner held on Wednesday, April 27 at 583 Park Avenue from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Those sponsoring the event will help Asphalt Green support our coaches and all the good work they do for the community.
Attendees will have the chance to mingle with AGUA head coach David Rodriguez. Become a sponsor or purchase tickets today!
Upcoming Birthdays

March 15
Elizabeth Genis

March 16
Jack Berthelsen
Milo Devine

March 18
Pietro Belvedere

March 19
Matthew Lipton

March 21
Naomi Blau
Ela Brozyna
Violet Dorsey-Reyes
Asphalt Green IDs

All swimmers must use their ID card to access Asphalt Green's Battery Park City and Upper East Side campuses at each practice.
Follow Us on Instagram

Be sure to follow us @aguaswim for announcements, shoutouts, and more!
Save the Date: Summer Travel Meets

Please note the following long course competition dates. Further details on which swimmers may attend each meet will be announced in the coming weeks.
Sarasota Shark Open
  • When: June 16 to June 19, 2022
  • Where: Sarasota, FL

Nashville Summer Sizzler
  • When: June 23 to June 25, 2022
  • Where: Nashville, TN
Save the Date: AGUA Summer Swim Clinics
Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for AGUA summer swim clinic registration details. Clinics will be held during the following weeks:

  • Rising Star Clinic (ages 7 to 10) - June 27 to July 1, 2022
  • Elite Clinic (ages 10 to 13) - July 11 to July 15, 2022
Parent/Coach Communication 
In order to streamline parent/coach communication, please do not reply to the newsletter. Use the following email addresses for all questions:
Upcoming Schedule Changes
There will be no AGUA practices April 2 through April 10. Long course group placements will begin on Monday, April 11 under the spring schedule.
Monday, March 21
  • Senior I will swim from 5:30am to 7am at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.
  • National will swim from 4:30pm to 6pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.
  • Senior II will swim from 6pm to 7:30pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus. 

Wednesday, March 23
  • National and Senior II practices are canceled.  
  • Senior Prep Gold will swim from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.
  • Sectionals qualifiers will swim from 5:30pm to 7pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.

Thursday, March 24
  • National and Senior II practices are canceled.
  • Senior Prep Gold dryland is canceled.

Friday, March 25
  • Senior II practice is canceled.
  • AG1, AG2, AG3, and Senior Prep dryland is canceled.

Saturday, March 26
  • National and Senior II practices are canceled.
  • UES AG2 Green and Gold will swim from 9am to 10am at Sacred Heart.
  • UES AG3 Green and Gold will swim 8am to 9:30am at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus. 
  • BPC and UES AG2 and AG3 dryland practices are canceled. 

Sunday, March 27
  • National practice is canceled.
  • Senior Prep Gold will swim from 10:30am to 12pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.
  • Senior Prep Green will swim from12pm to 1:30pm at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus.
  • All dryland practices are canceled.