Morgan Callaway
Continued success for BCY graduate Morgan Callaway at University of West Virginia! Morgan has broken her own 100 Backstroke record again with a new time of 56.14. She has done another personal best in the 200 Back with a time of 2:01.40, and that record setting 400 Medley Relay that she is a member of, broke their record again with the time of 3:44.23. Congratulations to Morgan and continued best wishes for a great college swimming career!
Brandon Hargraves
The following is a college essay that was written by Brandon Hargraves. Brandon is a freshman at LaSalle University. He chose to write about his former head coach at the YMCA, Ray Lease.
"It's Not Hard, It's difficult": The Story of Ray Lease"
Perched like a giant willow tree in his spot on the pool deck of the Brandywine YMCA pool, the moist dew from his five mile run resting right below his slicked back hair still on his forehead, a "Just as I suspected" look on his face confirmed by his wooly bugger of a mustache, with his collared shirt tucked into his beige Dockers, and his stop watch clutched in his hand busy counting seconds: this is Ray Lease.
It's hard to imagine a swim coach who, himself, has never tested out the waters. "When my kids got involved in swimming, I was fascinated by the sport. So when the YMCA needed an assistant coach, I took the job." Starting out with relatively no experience with swimming, Ray worked hard and long to learn the ways of the sport, commiting hours of his time reading swimming books and watching swimming videos. After only four years of inexperienced coaching, Ray took the job as the head coach of the BCY swim team in 1991. (click here to read full story)
Jessica Barnes
Jessica Barnes first experienced a swimming pool in the Brandywine YMCA’s Parent-Tot class when she was six months old. At six years old, she joined the swim team. Eleven years later, Jessica is a National Champion.
Like every other child in YMCA Aquatic Programs, Jessica progressed through the levels of preschool age swimming lessons. When she joined the team at six years old, she became part of a group in which she could grow as an individual swimmer and as a team player. As a part of the team, Jessica learned to cooperate with and respect her teammates. She learned discipline, experienced sacrifice, and enjoyed laughs all in the same day. YMCA coaches and staff helped to develop the qualities that made Jessica Barnes a national champion at age 17. Her goal of becoming an Olympian is attainable because of her motivation and the direction provided for her by the YMCA coaching staff.
Jessica is the first swimmer in the history of the Brandywine YMCA to win an event at the YMCA National Championships. In College Park, Maryland, Jessica took first place in the 200-meter backstroke. She also placed third in the 50 and 100-meter back events, and seventh in 800m freestyle swim. Approximately 85 to 100 swimmers from all over the country compete in each event. Jessica is but one of Brandywine YMCA’s success stories.