The Bucs will rely on depth as well as they seek to defend their district championship.
By TERRY JONES
Published October 19, 2004
TAMPA - Youth and experience balance the deep Berkeley Prep girls swimming squad.
Because of the strength of Academy of Holy Names and Tampa Prep, defending the district championship may be difficult for the Buccaneers. But Berkeley also has a chance to repeat.
Three experienced divers, five veteran swimmers and about 20 enthusiastic swimmers as young as seventh and eighth graders give the Bucs hope.
Sophomore Caitlin Karniski, freshman Marni Tuchman and junior Kirsten Chimielewski are the top three divers. All train with private coach Jay Goldstein.
Karniski, a prep school All-American last year as an eighth grader, is the Bucs' top diver, and Tuchman is improving. She has some gymnastics experience, which gives her a little edge.
Berkeley coach Kevin Rosepapa and Goldstein believe all three have good chances to qualify for the regional meet and probably even state.
Goldstein, diving coach for West Florida Lightning Aquatics (WFLA) in Pinellas County, rents the Berkeley facility to provide private lessons for divers from Berkeley, Plant, Jesuit, Sickles, Middleton and others in Hillsborough County.
"In addition to Karniski, Tuchman and Chimielewski, freshman Rachel Tilen is also showing promise for Berkeley," Goldstein said. "She is only in her second season. The new regional meet could hurt divers. Dual meets require only six dives, but championship meets call for 11. Plus they must now compete three weekends in a row. All give Berkeley potential for higher team scores."
Freshmen Sarah Lewin, sophomore Brittany Boldizsar, junior Susan Helvenston, junior Susan Helvenston, senior Suzanne Walter and seventh grader Kelsey Dent are the top swimmers for the Bucs.
Lewin is tough in freestyle events, both sprints and distance. She is also strong in the 100-yard butterfly.
Dent is versatile and one of the top individual medley swimmers in the county. She also does exceptionally well in the 100 fly, one of the most challenging strokes.
Boldizsar swims the 200 free and 100 fly and Helvenston is a backstroke specialist.
Walter is the senior captain. She swims all the freestyle events, plus the 100 fly.
All five help fill the 200 and 400 free and medley relay teams.
Like many coaches in the county, Rosepapa believes the addition of a regional meet this season adds a few frustrations. He says that is especially true for schools like Berkeley that have an abundance of competitors who swim only during the high school season.
"Fewer depth kids will qualify for the state meets this year, because of the addition of the regionals," Rosepapa said. "But we will all adjust."
Though the Bucs have many very young swimmers, they look like they have fun, Rosepapa says, even as he puts them through training.
"Our kids all seem to enjoy swimming and that is important to the sport," Rosepapa said. "The weather has hindered our training so far this season, but that effects just about all teams in Florida. However, when they train, our kids work super hard. We are looking forward to a pretty good result this season."
