Six Athletes Represent BA as part of Team Indiana at Elite Development Camps & Open Water Zones

From Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin to Annapolis, Maryland and West Lafayette, Indiana in between – Boilermaker Aquatics put the everywhere in #LeadersEverywhere last week! Four BA athletes competed under the Team Indiana cap at Open Water Zones in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, while two BA athletes were selected to attend the Indiana Swimming Senior and Age Group Elite Development camps at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

INDIANA SWIMMING ELITE DEVELOPMENT CAMPS

Senior Elite Development Camp

Indiana Swimming’s Senior Elite Development camp was held June 7-11 in Annapolis, Maryland and the US Naval Academy. A total of 32 Indiana Swimming athletes, 16 girls and 16 boys aged 14-16 were selected via Invitation to attend the camp. To be invited to participate in the camp, and athlete needed to hold one of the fastest three times in an individual event or based on IMX scores by being in the top 3 IMX scores of athletes no previously selected for an individual event.

Congratulations to Senior Black athlete Rocco Tajc on his selection to the Indiana Swimming Senior Elite Development Camp!

Age Group Elite Development Camp

Similar to the Senior Elite Camp, the Age Group Elite camp was also held in Annapolis, Maryland at the US Naval Academy over the same time period. The Age Group Elite camp hosted 40 total athletes, 20 girls and 20 boys between the ages of 11-14. Athlete selection for the Age Group Elite camp was based off a list of swimmers who have achieved a AAAA standard, based on the 2024-2028 Motivational Time standards for the quad in either SCY or LCM during the qualifying time period.

Congratulations to Age Group Black athlete Jason Yang on his selection to the Indiana Swimming Age Group Elite Development Camp!

Throughout the camps, athletes participated in five day of educational meetings, motivational opportunities, leadership- and team-building activities. It wasn’t all in the classroom, the athletes also trained in the water and on-land alongside the state’s highest-level competitors and future stars under the supervision of camp coaches from across the state. These camps help create connections among athletes and build relationships across the state.

CENTRAL ZONE OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Four BA athletes made the trip and stepped into the world of open water swimming at the Central Zone Open Water Championships, joining more than 400 athletes representing 15 LSCs including Arkansas Swimming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ozark Swimming, Illinois Swimming, Iowa Swimming, Minnesota Swimming, Michigan Swimming, Ohio Swimming and Wisconsin Swimming.

Congratulations to Austin Pritts, Reid Leeper, Evan Stergar and JJ Bonfitto on an incredible job racing in an unfamiliar setting – open water! To qualify for this competition, athletes needed to have at least an A standard, based on the 2024-2028 Motivational Time Standards for the quad in a freestyle event 400 or longer for 11+ athletes or 200 or longer for 10&U athletes.

While the weather (and water) was a bit on the colder side, our BA athletes braved the chilly conditions and stepped out of their comfort zone to try something challenging and new. Pritts (13-14), Leeper (13-14) and Stergar (11-12) all raced 2.5k (approximately 1.55 miles), while Bonfitto (10&U) raced the 1.25K (approximately .77 miles). For all them -- the longest race they've ever completed in a sanctioned swimming competition!

Pritts finished in the Top 8 for 13-14 boys, earning 7^th place overall and bringing home a medal! 

We’re thrilled that our athletes not only are earning invitations/opportunities to participate in ongoing development opportunities through Indiana Swimming and Team Indiana, but that they are taking advantage of them by participating as well! We look forward to learning from these athletes as they bring back knowledge and growth from these experiences to share with their teammates and coaches at home.

Congratulations to all of our BA athletes who are showing the state, and zone, what it means to be a Boilermaker Aquatics athlete.

#LeadersEverywhere