2005-2006 Varsity Girls' Swimming and Diving

Swimming

The Girls Varsity Swim Team record does not fully represent the successes team members encountered this season. Six seniors graduated last year, leaving a young team to find its way. Newcomers Lily Lewars, Sophia Yannopoulos, Ashley Miller, and Lindsey Duecker were aided in this endeavor by returning swimmers Christine Roper, Caroline Webb, Jasmine Prokscha and Captains Isabel Smith and Natalie Raymunt. These girls dedicated themselves to practice each day and found the motivation for the meets against the strong teams in our league. The season ended with 2 wins – against Canterbury and Cheshire and 8 losses, including a loss by only six points to a talented Williston Northampton squad.

In post-season championships the girls finished 13th overall in the WNEPSSA Championships and 8th in Division II. Most hit their best time at this day-long competition. The team says goodbye to seniors Isabel Smith, Natalie Raymunt, Vashti Chandler, Liz Monti, Checka Propper, Lindsey Duecker, and Vicky Drummond-Hay while looking forward to even greater success next season.

Diving

Kent Diving began the season with three experience competitors: two sophomores, Kyle Beek and Kevin McKenna and one senior, Cassandra Visconti. After vigorous tryouts in early December, freshman Courtney Daukas and Addy Montilla joined them. Diving until a season-ending injury curtailed her participation was senior Vashti Chandler and sharing time with the swim team was freshman Corey Grever. Beek won the first two meets with scores of 136 and 135 with McKenna chasing close behind in second with scores of 127 and 121. The team encountered stiff competition versus experienced Hotchkiss and Westminster squads yet rebounded against Avon where Beek again captured first place with a personal best score of 164. Both Beek and McKenna participated in Western New England’s and New England’s at season-end.

Not only do divers compete against each other, but also against themselves, testing the limits of what they are capable of achieving. This year the girls captain, Cassandra Visconti, challenged herself to beat her previous scores, which generally hovered between 81 and 88 points. She succeeded, demonstrating both elegance and sheer determination – hitting her personal best in the final regular season meet with a score of 98.95!

A Word from the Swimming Coach: Margaret Magee

Kent's experienced coaching staff is committed to building a swimming and diving program emphasizing academic excellence, dedication, desire, and a sense of accomplishment. Whether you are relatively new to the sport, or an accomplished athlete, fundamentals as well as advanced competitive skills are taught in a positive atmosphere.

Kent maintains a tradition of excellence in athletics. By committing to Kent, be assured that the lessons learned and friendships made in and out of the swimming pool will be treasured and carried with you throughout life.

I have been teaching and coaching swimming at Kent since 2002. The boys and girls were recently split into separate teams, providing more space and the opportunity for more individual attention for each swimmer. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions about Kent School or the swimming/diving program. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at mageem@kent-school.edu or (860) 927-6099.

Margaret E. G. Magee

Girls' Varsity Swimming Coach