National TeamHere is your All Access Pass to the YMCA Short Course National Team! Check out the cast and directors in our team playbill!
Taylor
Adams is a 16 yr old Sophomore attending Wayne Hills HS. This is his
first season with the Wyckoff Sharks and his first visit to SC
Nationals! Taylor’s specialty are Freestyle Sprints and his favorite is
the 50 Free, or as he calls it “splash and dash”. His favorite food is
Cheese Calzones. Family is a huge inspiration to Taylor. His parents are
the main driving force behind his success and his teammates inspire him
to go faster. Medley Relays put on pressure which he says makes him to
work harder and swim faster! His message is “Have fun when you are
younger! Looking back he’s glad to be a swimmer as the sport really
makes you into a better person as you get older too” 
Danielle Bach is a 16
year old Sophomore from Northern Highlands High School. This is her 8th
year swimming for WFY Sharks. This April will be her first time swimming
at Y Nationals. Danielle’s specialty is Backstroke and her favorite is
any stroke in a 50 as well as swimming on a relay. Chinese is her
favorite kind of food. She is inspired by her family to do well and they
are very proud of her. Danielle’s message to young swimmers is “swim
fast, have fun and suck it up!” Her favorite swimming highlight is when
she made her first National qualifying time at the 2010 Y States meet!
Rikki Berk,
a 15 yr old Sophomore at Wayne Hills H.S. has been swimming on the WFY
Sharks team for 6 years. Rikki has attended 2 LC Nats and this will be
her 2nd SC National Championship Meet. Rikki is a breaststroke
specialist and one of her favorite moments was swimming a 30.6 split in
the 200 Medley Relay at ’09 SC Nationals. She loves Chinese food. She
gets inspiration from her dad and her inspirational words to the young
swimmers on the team are “when you put your mind to something, you can
do it!” 
Patty Boyer
is a 16 yr old Junior at The Hill School and has been on the Sharks for 9
years. This will be Patty’s 2nd trip to SC Nats and she has attended LC
Nats twice. She is a Back and Free Sprinter whose favorite event is the
100 Back. Her favorite memory is anchoring a relay at JO’s where she
beat the “fastest” girl in the state. Mac and Cheese is Patty’s favorite
food. Inspired by her parents because they support her in all that she
does and push her in every aspect of her life to be a good person. She
wants to tell younger swimmers “that it is always going to be hard. It
will be hard to keep swimming for your whole life but it will pay off.
Don’t ever forget the feeling of winning a race or making a best time;
once you stop swimming you will never get that feeling again.” 
Lea Candelmo, a 15
year old sophomore at IHA, has been swimming for the Wyckoff Sharks
since the 5th grade. She swam at LC Nats in '09 and this will be her
first visit to SC Nats. Lea's specialty stroke is freestyle, while she
excels in the distance races. Lea enjoys all different kinds of food -
she will eat anything! Her favorite memory of swimming is from the
Junior Olympics when she made her first SC Nat cut in the 400 IM. Lea's
inspiration comes from her parents, teammates, and coaches. Her message
to younger swimmers is to "practice hard, race hard, but most
importantly have fun because swimming is something you'll have for the
rest of your life." 
Chloé
Conjares is a 17 year old Senior at IHA HS who will be attending
Villanova University in the fall. She was recruited and will be proudly
swimming for Villanova. This is Chloé’s second year with the WFY Sharks
team and this will be her 5th visit to SC Nats! The most of any Wyckoff
swimmer to date! She has also attended 4 LC Nat Meets. Her specialty
stroke is Freestyle sprints and her favorite events are the 50 and 100
Free. Chloé’s favorite memory is placing 12th in the 50 Free at the LC
Nats Meet in 2009. She loves chicken fingers and is inspired by Olympian
sprinter Dara Torres. Chloé’s message is “if you don’t do well in a
race, don’t take it upon yourself and beat yourself up. Instead, use it
as a learning experience so that in your next race you’ll be refocused
and blow the competition away.” 
Sara Craft,
a 15 yr old Sophomore at Glen Rock HS, has been swimming with the Sharks
since she was 9 years old. This year makes her 2nd trip to SC Nats and
she will attend her 2nd LC Nats in July. She loves swimming mid and long
distance free events. Her most memorable moments were being 1st
alternate in the 500 Free Finals at 2009 SC Nationals, the highest place
of any WFY girl and placing 14th in the 400 Freestyle at ’09 LC Nats.
Blueberries are her favorite swim food. Sara is inspired by Olympic
distance swimmers; Katie Hoff and Janet Evans, and her mom for all her
support. Her message to the younger swimmers is “Success comes from
positive thinking and always doing your best.” 
Dylan
Cummings, a 17 year old Junior at Northern Highlands HS, has been on the
WFY team for the past 11 years! Dylan will be making his 3rd trip to SC
Nats and has attended LC Nats twice also. His specialty is Backstroke
and the IM but the 100 Backstroke is his favorite. Pizza is a favorite
food of his. Peter Marshall, the World Record Holder in 50 Back is his
inspiration. Dylan’s message to those younger swimmers, “ Everyone has a
bad race now and then. The key is not to give up and to come back even
stronger next time because your next great race could be just around the
corner.” 
Amanda
Rose Distler is a 17 year old Junior at Northern Highlands HS. She has been
swimming with the Sharks for 3 years. This will be Amanda’s 2nd visit to
SC Nats and she has been to LC Nats twice. Her specialty is the 200 Fly
and her favorite event is the Relays. Pasta is her favorite swim food
and her teammates and friends are her biggest inspirations. Amanda would
like to tell the younger swimmers to support their teammates; without
their help, I could never have gotten this far. Also, remember to only
try to control “the controllable”…swim your own race and don’t let the
last one effect the next one.” 
Ashley El Naggar is a 16 year old HS Junior at Ramapo HS and has been
swimming with the Sharks since 2004. Backstroke is not only Ashley’s
favorite but also the stroke where she is incredibly fast! This is her
2nd trip to Ft. Lauderdale for SC Nats and she has attended LC Nats
twice. Swimming the 100 Back and placing 15th at LC Nats this past July
is her favorite highlight! Her favorite food is ice cream and her
“mommy” is the person that inspires her the most. Her words of wisdom
are “pulling on the lane lines might make you fast in practice, but not
at meets….and you get ugly calluses!” 
Timothy
James Healy is an 18 year old Senior at Ridgewood HS. He will be
swimming for Occidental College in Los Angeles, California next year.
This is Tim’s 2nd year swimming with WFY team and his 3rd visit to SC
Nats. He has also been to LC Nats three times. A swimming highlight for
Tim was in ’08 in the 1000 Free when he made his first SC Nat cut by .2
sec. Tim’s specialty is Mid-Distance Free and his favorite events are
200 Free and 100 Fly. Favorite foods are tied between homemade BBQ,
candied sweet potatoes and DQ Blizzards. Tim’s Grandpa gives him
inspiration. Tim wants the younger swimmers to know “If you don’t love
the sport, it’s not worth doing.” 
Kyoka Hosoi
is a 13 year old, 7th grader from Ridgewood. She has been swimming for
the Wyckoff Sharks for 5 years. Kyoka and Michelle will be the youngest
swimmers from WFY to attend SC Nats. She also attended LC Nats in 2009.
Her best stroke is Backstroke and favorite event is the 200 Back. She is
inspired by Natalie Coughlin and Kyoka’s favorite food is Ceasar Salad.
Her inspirational thought for younger swimmers is “Work Hard – it will
pay off later” 
Ellie
Huelbig is an 18 yr old Senior at Rutherford HS. Ellie was recruited to
swim at Connecticut College, a DIII NESCAC school starting next fall.
This is Ellie’s first year with the Wyckoff Sharks and her 5th time
swimming at SC Nats. She has also attended LC Nats since 2005. Ellie’s
specialty is 200 Fly and 400 IM with the 200 Fly as her favorite. A
highlight for her was making finals at the ’09 SC Nats with her 200
Medley Relay team. Chicken with mashed potatoes is a favorite food and
her 86 yr old grandfather is her inspiration! “Working hard is the key
to success in everything”, is her message to all the young WFY swimmers.
Philip
Kang is a 15 yr old Freshman at Creskill HS. This is Phil’s first season
with the WFY Sharks and his second time at SC Nats. He has attended LC
Nats ever since 2006. Phil’s specialties are the Backstroke, Fly and IM
with any Back event or IM event as a favorite. His favorite foods are
Pasta, Noodles and Rice. Jesus gives him inspiration. As far as a
message to the young swimmers, Philip’s advice is to “Listen to your
coaches and work hard!” 
Michelle
Kim is a 13 yr old 8th grader from Paramus MS. This is her very first
season with the Sharks. This will be her 2nd time at SC Nats and she has
attended 2 LC Nats Along with Kyoka, the two of them will be the
youngest WFY girls to swim at SC Nats. Michelle’s specialty stroke is
Back and Fly, though her favorite events are the IM, especially the 400
IM. She enjoys just about any kind of food! Michelle is inspired by her
family, her coaches and the famous swimmers! Her message to the young
swimmers is “SWIM FAST" 
Shawn
Kuizema is a 16 year old Junior at Westwood HS. Shawn is swimming his
first season with the Sharks this year and it is also his first visit to
SC Nats. Shawn’s specialty stroke is Breaststroke and both the 100 and
200 Breaststroke are his favorite events. Tacos are his favorite food!
Leo Lim a 15
year old Sophomore at Tenafly HS, has been swimming with the WFY team
since 2008. This year will be Leo’s 3rd trip to SC Nats and he has gone
to LC Nats since ’07. He is a 200 Fly and Breaststroke specialist and
doesn’t really have a favorite event but when asked he chose the 200 IM
so he can swim all the strokes. His favorite food, even before he began
to swim, has been any kind of pasta. He takes inspiration from the
dedication, determination and competitiveness of Lebron James in order
to be an even better athlete. His message to young swimmers is “always
believe in yourself, anyone can be successful with hard work and the
right confidence.” 
Kristoph
Marczinkowski, a 16 year old Junior at Indian Hills HS. Kristoph has
been on the Wyckoff YMCA Sharks team for 9 years. This will be his first
time to SC Nats and he attended LC Nats in July ’09. The 400 IM is
Kristoph’s specialty stroke and his favorite event is the 50 Free. His
favorite food is sushi and his inspiration is Ryan Lochte. His favorite
swimming highlight was swimming on a relay at LC Nats and placing in the
top 8. His inspiration to younger swimmers is “Make sure your mom makes
you go to practice.” 
Austin
Mateo is a 15 yr old Sophomore at Northern Highlands HS. Austin has been
swimming with the Sharks for 9 years, This is Austin’s 2nd year at SC
Nats. She has also attended LC Nats twice. One of her favorite memories
is from 2008 SC JO’s when the 400 Free Relay that she was a part of took
3rd place. Austin’s specialty is Backstroke, though her favorite are
Distance Free events. She loves pasta and is inspired by Katie Hoff. She
wants other swimmers to “Never ever ever give up!” 
Kayla
McAvoy is a 16 year old Sophomore at IHA HS. She has been swimming for
WFY for 9 years. This will be her second visit to SC Nats and she has
visited LC Nats twice. She is a Breaststroke specialist and yet she is
talented in all strokes as her favorite is the 400 IM. Her highlight so
far has been placing in the top 16 in the 200 Breast at ’09 LC Nats.
Sushi is a favorite food of Kayla’s. Her family, especially her
supportive parents, are her inspirations. To the younger swimmers Kayla
says ”Set your goals high because with hard work and determination you
can achieve whatever you set your mind to.” 
Sean
Murphy, a 18 year old Senior at Indian Hills HS that was recruited to
swim for Boston College next year. He has been on the WFY team for most
of his life – 11 years! This year will be his 2nd visit to SC Nats and
he has been to LC Nats twice. Sean’s specialty events are the 200 Breast
and the 400 IM but his favorites are both the 100 and 200 Breaststroke.
A favorite memory is dropping 6 seconds in the 200 Breast at ’08 LC Nats
and qualifying for SC Nats. It’s a toss up between Cheez-Its and his
Mom’s Chicken Parm for Sean’s food favorites. Michael Jordan and his
father are his inspiration. Sean says, “It’s more than a sport, this is
a passion!” 
Katie
Murphy, is a 14 year old Freshman at Ramapo HS. She has been swimming
with the Sharks team for 4 years. She swam at LC Nats in ’09 and this
will be here first time to SC Nats. Butterfly is her specialty stroke
and 100 Fly and 200 IM are her favorites to swim. Her favorite food is
chocolate chip pancakes. Her favorite memory is from Y States when she
made her SC Nat cut and broke a minute in the 100 Fly. Katie’s
inspiration is her brother, Sean and her message to younger swimmers is
“all your hard work will pay off in the end.” 
Monica
Nunez is a 15 yr old Sophomore at IHA HS. This is Monica’s second season
with the Sharks. She has attended LC Nats twice and this will be her
first trip to Florida for SC Nats. Sprint Freestyle is Monica’s
specialty and it is also her favorite stroke. A favorite highlight is
when she dropped 2 seconds in her 100 Free at ’09 LC Nats. Strawberries
are her favorite food and she is inspired by her Grandma! She would like
to remind all the younger swimmers that “it is important to have fun in
whatever you do!” 
Alison
O’Connor, a 16 year old sophomore attending Ramapo HS. Alison is proud
to be an 11 year member of the Sharks swim team – since 5 years old!
Alison has attended LC Nats twice and this will be her 2nd SC Nats. One
of her favorite highlights is placing 12th in the 400 Free Relay at LC
Nats. Backstroke is Alison’s strongest stroke but she says that her
favorite depends on the meet. Her favorite food is steak and rice.
Alison is inspired by her two older brothers, Kevin and Brian. A
favorite memory is when she earned the 8 and under 50 yd. breaststroke
team record. She would like swimmers to know that “Success at meets
comes from hard work at practice. If you slack off, you can still do
well at meets because of luck, but don’t count on it.” 
Emily Pedrick is an
18 year old Senior at IHA. Emily is excited that she will be swimming in
college at Fairfield University beginning next fall. This is her second
year on the Wyckoff Sharks team and her first time attending SC Nats.
Emily has attended LC Nats since 2007. Her specialty events are
Freestyle Sprints and the Breaststroke events but her favorite event is
the 200 Freestyle. Italian is Emily’s favorite kind of food. She is
inspired by her teammates and her inspiring words to the younger
swimmers is “Don’t worry about the future... Live in the moment and just
have fun!” 
Russell
Stoll is a 14 year old Freshman at Pompton Lakes HS. Russell has been
swimming on the Sharks team for the past 4 years succeeding especially
in the 100 Backstroke but he especially enjoys the 200 Butterfly. This
will be Russell’s first visit to SC Nats. He swam in Maryland for LC
Nats in 2009. Steak is a favorite food of his. He is inspired by JR
Celski, the 19 yr old speed skater that came back after an injury and
won an Olympic medal. For the younger swimmers, Russell says “During
your life, never stop dreaming. No one can take away your dreams.”
Austin Taylor is 17 yrs old and a Senior at Ridgewood HS. He will
continue swimming next year as he was recruited for Cornell University’s
swim team.
Austin has been on the Sharks team for 9 years. This will be his 3rd time at SC Nats and he will be attending his 4th LC Nats this summer. Austin is a Back and Fly specialist and particularly enjoys the 100 and 200 Back and the 100 Fly. The highlight of Austin’s Nationals was placing in the top 16 at SC Nats in the 200 Back in 2009. His favorite food is Tortellini Alfredo and his personal inspirations are Aaron Peirsol, Isaac Newton and his dad. To all the younger swimmers Austin says, “Try to enjoy swimming and make the most fun out of it that you can.”
Brendan
Woo is a 14 year old 8th grader at Eisenhower Middle School in Wyckoff.
This is his 5th year swimming with the Sharks. Brendan is attending his
1st SC Nats this year and swam at LC Nats in ’08 and’09. His specialty
stokes are Breaststroke, IM’s and Fly, but the 200 Breaststroke is his
favorite race. Spaghetti is his favorite food. Brendan gets his
inspiration from his parents. Brendan’s favorite memory was qualifying
for LC Nats in the 50 and 200 Breaststroke. His inspiration to younger
swimmers is “Always keep your head up and don’t get discouraged if you
don’t experience immediate results in your times.” Coach Kathy and Coach Peta are the directors for this Hollywood cast! Along with Coach Ken and Coach Jo-Anne they have prepared this team for success and are looking forward to amazing results in Ft. Lauderdale! 2009-2010: A season of excellence!
