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Local Swimmers Experience Successes at Summer Meets

Local swimmers from Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) and Lacamas Headhunters have seen a lot of competition this season with the Summer Blast Swim meet series, Senior Sectionals, State Championship, and now at Futures National Championship, which is located in Santa Clara, CA.

The Summer Blast series is designed to keep the athletes swimming competitively while preparing for the larger events. Senior Sectionals brought swimmers from all over the Western US region (including college-level athletes), and saw some gains and improved personal times for both clubs. CRST swimmers are in peaking training mode with twice-a-day practices at two pools.

“It’s a pretty intense time,” said CRST swimmer, Max Dolbinin. “We’ve been focusing on the larger meets.”

CRST coach Darlene Hill has been pleased with results from State, and says her team is currently seeing personal bests at Futures this weekend.

“We’ve had several successes this summer,” said Hill. “The kids have been working hard.”

Ilia Zablotovskii swims in the 200 M Medley Relay at Senior Sectionals.

 

Swim

Mark Kim, of Lacamas Headhunters Swim Club, at warm-ups at Senior Sectionals.

 

Maddie Wick at Summer Blast #3.

State Long Course Competition

State competition, held just last week at Mt. Hood Community College, also saw gains and improvements for the swimmers.

Here are some State stats from local club swimmers:

  • Madison Wick, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 2nd place
  • Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 3rd place
  • Justin Xue, CRST: 50 Free (26.58) – 3rd place
  • Tom Utas, CRST: 50 Free (24.15) – 2nd place
  • Avery Gunderson, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:54.54)
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 100 Breastroke (1:08.96) – 2nd place
  • Madison Wick, CRST: 100 Back (1:15.37) – 3rd place
  • Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (1:15.83) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, CRST: 200 Back (2:16.17) – 2nd place
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 200 IM (2:16.02) – 3rd place
  • Andrew Chang, CRST: 200 IM (2:20.52)
  • Jace Creech, Lacamas HH: 200 IM (2:30.47)
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Free (28.53) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Fly (1.08.01) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Back (33.00) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Fly (30.60) – 1st place – 11 y/0
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Free (1:02.04) – 1st place – 11 y/0
  • Nathan Kim, Lacamas HH: 50 Back (33.63) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, CRST: 400 Free (4:25.64) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, Ilia Zablotovskii, Jacob McCarthy, Christian Madden, CRST: 200 M Medley Relay (1:53.65)
  • Alex Wahlman, Steven Wu, Caden Lee, Sammy Empey: 400 M Free Relay (4:37.90) 3rd place 11 y/o
  • Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Fly (2:25.25) – 2nd place
  • Tom Utas, CRST: 100 Free (53:34) – 2nd place
  • Max Dolbinin, CRST: 100 Free (54.23) – 2nd place
  • Ilia Zablotovskii, Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 400 Free Relay (3:36.88) 1st place
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 400 IM (4:43.31) – 1st place
  • Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Illia Zablotovskii, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 200 Free Relay (1:38.45)
  • Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:32.95) – 2nd place
  • Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Finn McClone, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 800 M Relay (8.08.27) – 1st place

Futures National Championships

These championships, located in Santa Clara, CA, are open to swimmers who are members of USA Swimming, and who have achieved the published time standard in one or more events.

“It’s a great pool, exciting to race all the fast swimmers around,” said Dolbinin, of the Futures National. This is his second time to attend this meet.

Currently, CRST swimmers has seen personal best times at this meet. Current stats are as follows:

  • Max Dolbinin: 200 Free (1:59.9) – PR
  • Tom Utas: 100 Fly (59.6) – PR
  • Eric Wu: 100 Breaststroke (1:09.1)
  • Eric Wu: 100 Fly (58.77)
Swim

From right: Tom Utas and Max Dolbinin at Futures National Championship, in Santa Clara, CA.

Swim

From left: Finn McClone, Tom Utas, Max Dolbinin, and Eric Wu.

More details to follow. The meet ends on Sunday, August 6.

To learn more, visit www.crstwaveriders.org and www.lacamasheadhunters.com

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WA State Champion Swimmers Face Senior Sectionals This Week

Mt. Hood Community College, OR — Several of the best local swimmers, including many with Washington State titles, will convene at the 2017 Speedo Western Region Section Championships this Thursday for a four-day event that drives athletic excellence.

Swimmers from as far away as Colorado and Arizona will descend on Mt. Hood Community College to compete in 36 individual and relay events. For some, this is an essential stop, or preparation for Future Nationals in August, which is an even more significant meet. 

The Camas High School (CHS) Boys Swim team won the State title in February, which comprised athletes from multiple private swim clubs — Columbia River Swim Team (CRST), Lacamas Headhunters, and Pacific Athletic Club (PAC). It was the first time in 50 years a high school swim team south of Tacoma won the prized victory. Several won individual and relay events.

Many of those same State Champion swimmers, representing their private clubs, have been getting ready for the past weeks and months, trying erase seconds and milli-seconds off their event times.

Mark Kim, representing Lacamas, is the 2017 200 Free Washington State High School Champion (1:40.76) and will be competing in the 100 Free, 400 Free, and 1500 Free events at Senior Sectionals, as well as several relays. He and his brother, Jaden Kim, also won the State High School title in the 200 Free Relay (1:26.82) with Eric Wu and Tom Utas. Jaden, also representing Lacamas, is competing in the 200 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Fly and 50 Free this week.

Swim

Eric Wu in the 400 IM.

Utas, a Camas High School graduate, is also the Washington State 50 Free Champion (21.07) setting a new team record. He added another record placing 3rd in the 100 Free with a time of 46.74. Utas will compete in the 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week, representing CRST.

Max Dolbinin, a recent Heritage High School graduate, placed 4th in the 100 Free (47.25) and 5th in the 50 Free (21.50) at State. Representing CRST, he will be competing in the 100 Free, 200 Free Bonus, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week.

Finn McClone added to the Papermaker Championship in February with 7th place in the 100 Free (48.85) and 5th place in the 100 Back (54.27).

Wu competes in an incredible six events at Senior Sectionals: 100 Breastroke, 200 Free, 400 IM, 100 Breastroke, 100 Fly, and 200 IM.

In total, CRST is sending 10 swimmers. Avery Gunderson, Andrew Chang, Christian Madden, Benjamin Phelps, Nick Wahlman, and Ilia Zablotovskii have been training rigorously for the meet.

“I’m just trying to drop time in my events and hopefully that can put me into finals,” said Chang. “This summer is just about closing out my high school career strong, and set myself up well for college.”

Dolbinin says “Sectionals is a prep meet for Futures, and I want to get good times to have a good spot at Futures, and see what else I have to work on before Futures.”

To learn more, visit: Senior Sectionals

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State Baseball Tournament: Camas LL 12U All Stars Fall to Marysville

Federal Way, WA — The Camas 12U All-Star baseball team fell to Marysville, 6-5, on Saturday at the Washington State Little League Tournament, and face West Valley tonight in a must-win game.

The boys fought back after falling down by four runs in the fourth inning during Game 1. Their comeback fell short, though. The Camas All-Stars scored three runs in the failed comeback on a home run by Zach Blair, and a groundout by Jackson Knuth.

Camas stayed right with Marysville into the fourth inning, when Marysville hit a home run. Marysville captured the lead in the first inning when player #7 drove in a run when he was walked with bases loaded. Camas knotted the game up at two in the bottom of the third inning when Blair drove in one run when he homered, with zero outs.

The Camas starting lineup:

  • Zach Blair
  • Easton McCarty
  • Carson Gilligan
  • Justin Taylor
  • Jackson Knuth
  • Tyler Stewart
  • Stephen Behil
  • Ethan Hubbell
  • Canon Bauman

Tonight is a must-win for the boys to continue tournament play.

The Camas 12U All-Star team won the District 4 Tournament last Monday night, and were undefeated in post-season play until Saturday’s game. The team is coached by Casey Taylor.

To learn more, visit www.camasll.com

 

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CRST Swimmers Gain Momentum for Long Course Championships

Vancouver, WA — The Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) is in peak training season with twice-a-day practices as the team prepares for the Long Course State Championships in late July, and Future Nationals in August.

The club team, and its dozens of members practice at Cascade Athletic Club in Vancouver, and also at Mt. Hood Community College for some of its long distance events. For most, they compete all year long, battling cold swimming pools, inclement weather (even in June) as the swimmers jump from a cold pool onto the rainy cold deck, and discuss improvements with their coach Darlene Hill, or Mike Bemis, who themselves struggle to maintain body warmth for hours.

Practices focus on building endurance, improving kicks and strokes, relay exchanges, timing, and dry land strength training — to name a few topics. The swimmers take their sport seriously, acknowledge the work involved, but are able to joke about the experience.

“We smell like chlorine all the time,” said a smiling Max Dolbinin, 18, who graduated from Heritage High School in June. “And it kind of bleaches your hair, especially during summer. We get these facial goggle tanlines, and those changing Speedo tanlines.”

Then, a laughing Andrew Chang chimes in.

“Sometimes you have problems untying your suit,” said Chang, 18, who graduated from Union High School in June. “You have to change slowly because the string can get really messed up.”

CRST

CRST practices. By Max Dolbinin.

 

CRST

Max Dolbinin swims.

They laugh at themselves, but they also love what they do.

“I’m a sprinter,” said Dolbinin. “I compete in the 50 Freestyle, Butterfly and Breaststroke. And, I do this because this sport is really competitive, and it takes a lot of strength — both physically and mentally. I really like the competition, and the friends that we make.”

The 10-year swimming veteran said he appreciates the friendships most.

“We see each other twice a day, with two-hour practices,” Dolbinin added. “And, you just really become good friends.”

Chang, also a 10-year swimmer, said he just loves being in the water.

“It soothes me, it’s my way to relax and de-stress from the pressures of the day,” Chang said. “We make good friends also, and you get to meet people from all over the state.”

Chang said people think swimming is easy, but that’s not so.

“They don’t see all the training and preparation that comes with it, “Chang said. “They don’t understand the amount of physical strength that comes with it. It’s a hard sport. It’s high intensity all the time.”

Chang will be swimming at Carleton College this Fall in Minnesota, and looks forward to continue swimming competitively.

Maddy Wick, 12, is preparing herself for State, and will compete in the Backstroke, Butterfly and Freestyle. Annette Chang is also competing in the same events. Lily Seitz said she’s working on Butterfly.

CRST

Sammy Empty completes a late night event at Summer Blast #2.

Twelve-year-old Sammy Empey set a new 11-12 year old record in the 200 Fly at Summer Blast 2 in June.  Empey’s time was 2:50.33, which surpassed Chang’s long-held record by 7 seconds.

“I swim because it’s fun to me,” said Empey. “I just love the competition. I mainly compete in the Butterfly and Freestyle sprints. I may do IM’s in the future, we’ll see.”

The swimmers compete at Summer Blast #3 today at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. The meet is way for them to prepare for State.

To learn more, visit www.crstwaveriders.org

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Camas 11/12 All-Star Team Wins Districts

Vancouver, WA — The Camas Little League 11/12 All-Star Baseball team handily won the District 4 Championship Monday night against Fort Vancouver with a final score of 12-2. The win propels the 14-member team onto the Washington State Little League tournament, which begins Saturday, July 15.

The undefeated (4-0) Camas team “10-runned” the competition in every tournament game.

During the Championship game, Cannon Bauman pitched the entire game — 79 pitches — and didn’t allow any runs until the fourth inning.

Offensively, Zach Blair got things going in the first inning with a base hit. A double from Justin Taylor brought Zach “Z-Train” in to score the first run of the night. Taylor stole third. Holt Williams got a base hit, bringing in Taylor to score.

At the top of the second inning, Bauman struck out three Fort batters in a row.

Tyler Stewart hit a double, and Caisen Burr followed with a double RBI, bringing Camas ahead 3-0.

Fort found their bats during the third inning, and got on base once, but the Camas defense held them.

At the bottom of the third inning, Jackson Knuth hit the only home run of the night, bringing the score to 4-0, but Camas wasn’t done yet. Hits by Bauman, Stewart, Burr, Cade Gehlen, Blair, and Carson Gilligan added another 5 runs to the scoreboard. It was Camas 9-0 by the top of four.

All-Stars

The District 4 Little League All-Star Champions.

A little breeze was blowing for Fort during the fourth inning. They got one base hit, and a couple walks. Defensively, Bauman was showing signs of fatigue, throwing a few more balls than he had previously. Fort scored two.

Fort walked a couple Camas players, and eventually bases were loaded. The game came to a quiet stop with  two walks that gave Camas the 10-run advantage.

The team will take Tuesday off, and then continue practicing on Wednesday night as they prepare for State.

“We stayed even keeled and didn’t allow failure to determine what we did next,” said Coach Casey Taylor. “To prepare for State, we won’t let the moment overcome us. We’ll just play baseball.”

Jackson Knuth was really pleased what his team accomplished during the All-Star tournament.

“Well, we went out right from the get-go, and we just hit really well,” Knuth said. “We were focused. Fort had a great tournament. We came out and had fun.”

To learn more, visit www.camasll.com

All-Stars

Cannon Bauman pitched the entire game — 79 pitches.

All-Star Championship Game Photos

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Papermakers Win Rutschman Wood Bat Tournament

Hillsboro, OR — The Camas Papermakers 18U Varsity Baseball team handily beat Columbia River, 10-0, in five innings Sunday night to win the 2017 Ad Rutschman Wood Bat Tournament.

The Papermakers went undefeated during the three-day tournament.

During the Championship game, the Papermakers took an early lead, 4-0, at the bottom of the first inning and stayed focus during the entire game. Ryan Potter pitched the entire game, not allowing a single run.

The boys hit well Sunday night. Jacob Trupp hit two deep into left field.

“We did a good job offensively,” said Head Coach, Stephen Short. “Our opponents didn’t play a real clean game, but we took advantage of it. Gavin Holley had a real good night tonight. We did a good job of running the bases and taking advantage of mistakes. Obviously Ryan Potter did a real nice job on the mound.”

The boys have been traveling extensively for the past few weeks, and placed a close second in the Firecracker Tournament in West Linn a week ago.

Their next home game is July 11 against Reynolds, and will then travel to Kelso to play a Legion team. Camas will then host a few games, play in another tournament, and then play in a big GSL tournament after that.

“The GSL tournament will be a good test for us to see really where we’re at,” said Short. “We will play some high level teams, and that will give us a good indication of where we are. We’re focused on getting better and enjoying our time together. I feel like that’s happened.”

 

Rutschman

Ryan Potter pitches.

Rutschman Tournament Photo Gallery

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Two Camas Baseball Teams Head For Championships

Two Camas baseball teams are heading for their respective tournament championship games today and Monday. Fresh off winning their semi-finals today (18-0 vs. Mt. Adams), the Camas Little League 11/12 All-Star Team plays in the District 4 championship game on Monday at 5:30 pm at David Douglas Park, home of Columbia Little League.

The Camas Papermakers 18U Varsity team won their semi-final (10-5 vs. Hillsboro Spartans) game Saturday night at Rutschman Stadium, which is home to the Hillsboro High School Spartans. The Papermakers are playing in the Hillsboro Wood Bat Tournament. The Championship game starts at 5:30 pm today at Hillsboro High School against Columbia River.

Baseball

Gideon Malychewski pitches at Hillsboro.

Both teams are undefeated in their respective tournaments.

The All-Star team, which is coached by Casey Taylor, Bryce Gehlen, and Bryan Williams, will play the winner of today’s 4 pm game on Monday at 5:30 pm. The winner of the District 4 Tournament Championship will represent District 4 at State, which will be held in Federal Way, WA.

The Papermakers team, which is coached by Stephen Short, has been playing an aggressive summer schedule with multiple tournaments and regular games. During the semi-finals, they pitched brothers Sam and Gideon Malychewski.

To learn more about Little League, visit www.camasll.com 

Baseball Photo Gallery

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Portland Pickles: Good Baseball That Won’t Break Budget

Portland, OR — Now in its second season, the Portland Pickles collegiate wood bat baseball team continues to gain greater name recognition, and a growing following — at prices that don’t break the family budget.

It also doesn’t hurt to have Seattle Seahawks punter, Jon Ryan, as co-owner of the new club.

When Ryan purchased a minority stake in the club in April, he made it clear he wanted to be involved in the team operations, and helped create a fun atmosphere at the newly renovated park. Improvements continue to be made at Walker Stadium, which rests in Portland’s pristine Lents Park. 

The baseball club’s owners – Alan Miller, Ryan, and Bill Stewart – continue to invest in the team, and Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has also continued to invest in upgrading the facilities.

In the Reserve Box, they’ve removed benches and installed 250 brand-new seats; and, in the same area, they doubled the amount of ADA-compliant seating areas in a new raised section served by a new ramp.

The team has also invested heavily in marketing, and the efforts are paying off as they routinely sell-out the 1,800+ seat stadium. The numbers soar with extended outfield lawn seating As a charter member of the Great West League, the Pickles play 60+ games per season, 30 of which are at home.

Pickles

Portland Pickles at bat.

During the Independence Day weekend, the Pickles hosted the Perth Heat Colts, who came from Australia to compete. The gracious visitors handed out memorabilia to many grateful spectators.

“It was so fun to talk with the players,” said Susan Schiele, who attended a recent home game. “You don’t get to mingle with the players at major league games.”

It’s also affordable entertainment with group packages at $10 apiece, special group discounts, and various fundraising opportunities. One of the recent deals included tickets for 4 at $39, which included four Pickles hats, and four $5 Burgerville gift cards.

“We had so much fun!” said Pickles fan, Sonia Millhouse. “They do a good thing here, and the food is great — and best of all the prices are reasonable. It’s good family entertainment.”

The Great West League is one of the premier summer collegiate wood-bat leagues in North America, providing a professional, minor league-like atmosphere for top college players seeking professional baseball careers, while providing affordable family entertainment and enriching the quality of life in its member communities.

To learn more, or buy tickets, visit www.portlandpicklesbaseball.com

Pickles

Two fans enjoy a game ball.

Pickles

Dillon the Pickle is the team mascot.

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Events: Camas LL All-Star Baseball, Softball Games

Camas Little League’s All-Star post-season is in full swing as they compete with other District 4 Little League teams. The 9/10 baseball team won their first game, 12-2, earlier this week. The 10/11 team won their first game against Cascade, 6-3, on Wednesday night, at Evergreen LL. Aaron Geigenmiller started for the 10/11 team, and threw under 50 pitches in four innings.

10/11 All-Star Baseball | Thursday, June 29 @ 5:30 pm

Competition begins at 5:30 at Evergreen Little League against Evergreen. This will be Game #2 for the boys. The address is 10910 NE 172nd Ave, Brush Prairie, WA 98606. If the boys win tonight they will compete on Saturday.

All-Star

10-11 All-Star pitcher Aaron Geigenmiller started in Game 1 vs. Cascade on June 28, 2017. He threw under 50 pitches in four innings.

11/12 All-Star Softball | Thursday, June 29 @ 6:00 pm

Competition begins at 6 pm tonight at Columbia Little League. The girls are 1-1 in post-season so this is a must-win. The address is 900 N Garrison Rd, Vancouver, WA 98664.

9/10 All-Star Baseball | Friday, June 30 @ 5:30 pm

The 9/10 team competes in Game #2 at Evergreen Little League. They are 1-0 in this All-Star tournament. The team is coached by Josh Pike. The address is 10910 NE 172nd Ave, Brush Prairie, WA 98606.

11/12 All-Star Baseball | Thursday, July 6 @ 5:30 pm

The 11/12 team will begin their post-season competition next week at Columbia Little League. The team is coached by Casey Taylor. This team has the potential to compete in the famous Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. They need to win Districts, State, and Regional competitions to get there.

The address is 900 N Garrison Rd, Vancouver, WA 98664.

To learn more, visit www.camasll.com

 

All-Star

KJ Thiemann safely slides into home.

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Reflections of a Track Coach: Alisa Wise Looks Back at 20 Years

Camas, WA — Sitting in the main Commons area at Camas High School (CHS) as the rain falls with great intensity, veteran CHS Track Coach, Alisa Wise, reflects on coaching a sport she loves, and why this was her last season.

On background, she started coaching in Utah, then became the assistant coach at Washougal, before her long run at Camas.

So, what are some of the top things Wise learned as a coach?

“After coaching for 20 years, I’ve learned that relationships are most important,” said Wise. “I’ve learned that you don’t remember the specifics of most meets, or the medals, but you remember the laughter, the moments on the bus, the disappointments, the emotions — all the things that aren’t attached to the points. I remember coming home from Jesuit — at midnight — to the kids dancing to the music on the bus. You do remember the crazy meets, you know the ones with ALL the rain and cold, the girl that got clipped with spikes, and cut her cheek open, and the trip to the ER. You remember the big blue van breaking down, and having to go rescue all the hammer throwers.”

Wise also said she’s learned to be more relaxed, and to keep perspective. Where she used to let her identity be tied to a victory or loss, it’s not like that anymore.

“The kids’ reactions have shaped me,” she said. “I still hate to lose, and I really like to win, but I’m able to let it go when the game is over. Sports teaches you hard things, and if things don’t go your way you, don’t let it crush you.”

She also emphasizes to NOT let the expectation level get too high, urging athletes to be push themselves, but to be honest and realistic with their abilities.

“You see some kids participate that may never place, but they can be part of a team,” she said. “You never know when a kid will have his or her moment.”

What are some the greatest accomplishments at CHS?

“Winning Oregon Relays in 2011 and 2014,” Wise said, without any hesitation. “That’s bigger than State! Plus, we’ve taken this small 3A school without much success, and turned it into a larger program with a lot of depth. These great kids continue to work hard, and they know how to represent.”

Wise is also touched by so many alumni who return and coach the sport.

“Look at Sienna Pittasi who now coaches at Heritage,” she added. “Tanner Boyd is coaching at Western Washington.”

Alumni Perspectives on Alisa

“The first thing you’ll notice about Coach wise is her smile and her individuality,” said Grayson Anderson, CHS Class of 2014. “I remember, it was the State track meet, I was in contention for winning the whole thing, and being the nervous 18 year-old I was I look to Coach Wise all the way across the track, leaning against the fence for advice. She waves me over and the first thing she does is crack a joke. As much as I wanted to be serious, I laughed and totally forgot why I even came over. In the biggest meet of the year, a jump away from a state title, here she is making me laugh. And this is Alisa’s gift. Her ability to connect with her athletes and discover what makes them laugh, smile, cry, what drives them and what will spark a fire inside them, is very special. She knew I needed to laugh and just relax even when I didn’t know that’s what I needed. Alisa Wise is so much more than a coach. She is a mentor, a friend and one of the most caring and involved individuals I’ve ever met. Her attention to detail and her passion are what make Coach Wise so exceptional at her craft.”

Alisa

The 2016 Girls 4A District Champions.

“In big, stressful moments, she knew what to say to get me zoned in and ready to go,” said Anderson. “But the moments we’ve shared off the track, traveling to meets, sharing life experiences and just getting to know each other are what I appreciate most about her. She has a huge heart and truly cares about each and every athlete. Her team is her family. To this day Alisa and I have stayed in touch and regardless of how much time has passed she always greets me with a big smile, a big hug and a dozen questions about how my family and I are doing. And that’s what we love about her. She is a one of a kind soul, an exceptional coach and an amazing friend.”

“She was my High Jump coach and I always appreciated her energy!” said Adam Peterson, CHS class of 2014. “She always made me excited to be out there and she was always eager to give us chances to learn and grow not just as athletes but as leaders.”

What’s Next?

“Well, I’ll still teach,” said Wise. “I’m not dead. I just won’t have the time commitment that comes with coaching. It really begins in early January, and goes all the way to May. High school sports requires some much energy, and you simply have no balance in your life during the season. I need to focus on my grandkids, my family.”

She regrets missing her son’s birthdays through the years, but “they’ve forgiven me.”

Going forward, Wise will continue to compete individualy, and plans to do some specialized coaching. She’s just gotten certified as a USA Triathlon coach.

“I’m so grateful for all the coaches, and the support they’ve given me over the years,” she concluded. “Love Rod Raunig (the boys head coach). We worked very well together, we complement each other. I love Track, it’s been a part of me since I was 10. It’s part of my identity, and it will always be a part of me.”

 

Alisa

Alisa Wise competes in several events each year, including triathlons.

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