 |
| Emma Sampson is among the top returners on London’s summer swim team. |
 |
| Morgan Slone will return to the London Lightning swim team this summer for the program’s second year. |
The London Lightning will strike with a variety of strokes.
Tryouts for the London Parks and Recreation swim team will take place at 2 p.m. May 24-25 at the municipal pool, 203 Park Ave. Meets start June 18.
The team celebrated its debut last year with three meets. This year, the group is part of a league.
“In all honesty, a year ago this program was put together at the last second. I added it to the summer program guide in early May with no schedule… We were lucky to find three events that were happy to welcome us to participate,” said Ryan Ladd, Parks and Recreation director.
“Joining the Suburban East Swim League (SESL) will provide consistency to the program and a full schedule of regular season events and weekend invitationals.”
In addition to London, the teams in the SESL are the Bexley Jewish Center, Eastmoor, New Albany Links, Hilltop, Hunter’s Ridge in Gahanna, Foxboro in Gahanna, and Reynoldsburg.
“Our athletes will be able to travel weekly and become competitive athletes, and gain a relationship not only with their teammates but also with our competitors,” Ladd said.
The London Lightning swim team is open to youths ages 7 to 18. Interested individuals must attend both tryout sessions on May 24-25. For a required swim test, they must demonstrate correct front stroke and back stroke techniques and be able to swim a 25-yard lap. Individuals who do not pass the test will be asked to take swim lessons.
Practices will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Swim team members also can participate in open-lane swims at 6 p.m. on Sundays for additional practice time.
“The coaching staff and I are excited to get started with the 2008 season,” Ladd said. “We had an enjoyable, short inaugural season in 2007… We know our returning kids have done a good job of promoting the program and convincing their friends to be a part of it.”
The entire London Lightning coaching staff is back for the second season and includes Morgan Campbell, Ryan Gillespie and Jennifer Long.
The team’s top returning scorer is Emma Sampson. The 8-year-old competed in the Springfield YMCA’s winter league, through which she qualified in multiple events for the AA Ohio State Championships at Miami University in Oxford.
Other top returning swimmers are: Alex Bennett, 8; Kyle Bennett, 10; Hannah Fender, 11; Emily Harper, 13; Natasha Harris, 11; Taylor Mocniak, 9; and Morgan Slone, 11.
The cost to participate on the swim team is $45 per person. Uniforms are $50. Participation in weekend invitationals will cost an additional $4 per person per meet. The uniform fitting dates are 2 p.m. May 31 and June 1.
For more information about the London Lightning swim team or how to sponsor a swimmer to cover uniform costs, contact Ryan Ladd at 740-852-4462.
 |
London Lightning Schedule
June 18 @ Hunter’s Ridge (5:30 p.m.)
June 25 @ Bexley w/Foxboro (5:30)
June 29 @ Valley View In. (8:30 a.m.)
July 2 @ Eastmoor (5:30)
July 9 @ New Albany (5:30)
July 12 @ Bexley Invite (8:30)
July 16 @ Hilltop w/R”burg (5:30)
July 19 @ Beckett Ridge Invite
in Cincinnati (8:30)
July 23-24 SESL Championships
@ Hilltop (5:30)
July 26 @ Eastmoor Invite (8:30)
