A Send-Off to our Graduating Seniors from the Tidal Force Swim Team

A Send-Off to our Graduating Seniors from the Tidal Force Swim Team

As another season has come to an end, we would like to wish our recent graduates the best of luck as they embark on their college journey. These remarkable swimmers have made their mark on the FCY Swim team from setting records to making a lifelong impact on our youth swimmers. Each of them will be greatly missed!

Addy Benton

Addy has been a member of our Tidal Force Swim Team for 11 years. She graduated from Urbana High School, where she participated on the high school swim team all 4 years. While at Urbana, Addy qualified to participate in the high school meet each year.  Addy will be studying Marketing at Susquehanna University and will be part of the swim team at Susquehanna. Addy has been a lifeguard and pool operator for the YMCA for the last 2 years.

Gabriella Papillo

Gabriella has been a member of our Tidal Force Swim Team for 10 years. She graduated from Urbana High School where she was the team manager of the Urbana High swim team. She was also a very active member of the orchestra during her time at Urbana.

Gabriella will be attending the University of Pittsburgh to study molecular biology.

“Being a part of the swim team has helped me grow as a person and has helped shape me into who I am today.” –Gabriella

Alex Hain

Alex Hain has been a member of our Tidal Force Swim Team for 7 years. He qualified for YMCA Nationals for the first time four years ago and has attended Y Nationals every year since then.

Alex holds numerous team records and is the second highest male points scorer in the history of our team. Alex graduated from Woodgrove High School in Loudon County. While at Woodgrove, he was an active member of the school’s swim team, qualifying for the high school state meet for all 4 years.

Alex will be attending Marymount University in the fall where he will be swimming on their swim team.

Rachael Bostian

Rachael has been a member of the YMCA Tidal Force swim team for 11 years. She holds numerous team records and qualified for YMCA nationals last year.

She is a graduate of Frederick High School and swam on the high school team all four years. She won the 500 free each year in the FCPS county meet as well as the 4A/3A South meet. She also qualified and participated in the high school state meet each year. Rachael was awarded the FHS class of 2022 Top Female athlete.

Rachael will study Political Science at Binghamton University and will also be a member of the Binghamton swim team.

“Throughout my decade of swimming, I’ve been able to compete at USA Swimming meets as well as YMCA meets. I can honestly say that the environment at Y meets cannot compare with the environment of USA Swimming meets.

Getting to make connections with younger kids on the team is something that I have loved doing at the YMCA. I know most of the 8 and under swimmers on our team, and I always try to see them swim their races. Watching a little kid who struggled to become legal in breaststroke swim their first 25 Breaststroke (legally) was the highlight of one of my meets this summer. After their race, they came running up to me with a huge smile on their face (passing by their mother to come to talk to me first). With other teams in our area, many older swimmers don’t get the opportunity to interact with the younger kids. When I first started swimming, I remembered older swimmers coming up to me and encouraging me and being able to reciprocate that has been one of my favorite parts of being a Y swimmer!

The eleven years I spent swimming for the Frederick Y has shaped me into the person I am today. I will forever be grateful for the swimmers and coaches I have gotten to know throughout the past eleven years.” -Rachel

The Frederick County YMCA Tidal Force Swim Team is a competitive swimming program that promotes youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Participants build character values through personal improvement, training, goal-setting, teamwork, and competition. This swim team has both a summer and winter league. For more information click the button below.