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Young swimmers commended for their water skills

A group of young swimmers were commended last week for their water skills. “Weather was not the kindest,” lifeguard Ryan Maizis said, of this year’s late onset of warm summer weather.
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Lifeguards Kailey Laidlaw and Ryan Maizis pose for a photo with some of this year’s swim award recipients

A group of young swimmers were commended last week for their water skills.

“Weather was not the kindest,” lifeguard Ryan Maizis said, of this year’s late onset of warm summer weather.

The awards were handed out before the annual Youbou Carnival at Arbutus Park, Wednesday, August 31.

Those that did turn out for swimming lessons improved their swimming skills drastically over the summer, he said.

The most improved swimmer of the summer was Paisley Levesque.

“She was attached to a lifejacket and wouldn’t stick her face in the water no matter what,” Maizis said. By the end of the summer, she was jumping in. The award is named for Andy Mendes, a former local Scout leader.

The following are the other awards handed out to swimmers last week:

• Speedy Gonzales – Wesley Parker

• Effort and enthusiasm (Darryl Smith memorial) – Brian Tardiff

• Best attendance (donated by Marlene Long)– Shauna Johel

• Happiest swimmer – Elly Hamilton

• Best sculling dive – Roselyn Baird

• Best slide glide – Lennon Court

• Best flutter kick – Danika Wilson

• Best listener – Kaydance Smith-Davis

• Most improved front swim – Cyprus Smith-Davis

• Best roll-over glides – Lennox Weber

• Best sculling – Olivia Harvey

• Most fun to teach – Rhiannon Sprinks

• Most determined – Latoyia Gooder

• Best bubbles – Avery Saxon

• Most courageous – Adam Gould

• Best jump into water – Jacob Armstrong

• Best glides – Owen Sprinks

• Coldest swimmer – Wesson Cauchie

• Best back float – Kaylee Cauchie

• 2011 girls’ aggregate (donated by Proux and Neuffer families) – Victoria Stedman

Swim lessons took place at Youbou’s Arbutus Park – the only lifeguard-patrolled beach at the lake – throughout the summer.