Colonia Swim Season
The Colonia Coed Swim Team ended their season at the end of January with ten dual meets and an GMC meet. The boys scored 129 points at their GMC (Greater Middlesex Conference), coming in 11 out of 17 schools. The girls also won big, scoring 179 points and coming in 8 out of 15 schools.
Colonia’s swim team is lead by Coach David DeGraw. DeGraw stated in an interview, “After reflecting on this impressive season, my proudest accomplishment was the GMC Championship in which the boy and girls combined earned the highest number of points in our team’s history in addition to our 8-2 season dual meet record and ranking third in the GMC White Division.”
The GMC is an event where a school competes against other schools in the same county. The big event took place at the Raritan Bay Area YMCA in Perth Amboy. Colonia’s team swam against teams in Middlesex County. The goal of the meet is to prove that you are the best.
During the season, two Colonia swimmers moved on to the NJSIAA meet: John Piccinic, senior, and Monika Burzynska, senior.
Piccinic
Piccinic came in first place in 50 freestyle with a time of 21.68 seconds at the GMC. He also came in first in 100 freestyle with a time of 47.17 seconds at the GMC. Next, Piccinic advanced to the NJSIAA Boy Meet of Champions Prelims on March 3 and 4.
Piccinic stated in an interview, “My favorite stroke to swim is sprint freestyle because there isn’t much thinking behind it, just giving it everything you have for a short amount of time so the races are really fun.”
The NJSIAA is a meet that you must be qualified for. The NJSIAA boys and girls meet is a way to find out who is the best in New Jersey.
According to NJ.com, Piccinic became 12 in the state for 50 freestyle with a time of 21.81 seconds and 13 in the state for 100 freestyle with a time of 47.86 seconds.
Piccinic stated in an interview, “My favorite memory on the Colonia Swim Team was getting my first GMC title in the 50 and 100 free a few months ago.”
He also had helpful advice for young swimmers. Piccinic said, “If someone wants to be a swimmer, the best advice that I can give is that you get what you put in. There is no way around the hours of training that you have to spend to get better and better.”
Piccinic will be attending NYU Stern School of Business for finance and he will continue to swim. In an interview he stated, “My goal for swimming in the future is to final at NCAA and be a record holder at NYU.”
Burzynska
Burzynska came in first in 200 free with a time of one minute and 55.98 seconds at the GMC. She also came in first in 100 butterfly with a time of 56.35 seconds at the GMC meet.
Unfortunately, Burzynska was sick and wasn’t able compete at the NJSIAA meet. Coach DeGraw said, “Her accomplishments with the Swimming Patriots winning first place in the 100 Fly at the 2017 Meet of Champions, and winning the 100 fly all four years, as well as holding the meet record.”
Burzynska will attend University of Pennsylvania for her freshman year of college and she will continue to swim.
