There are 31 workout groups in club OREG, so from all those there should be something happening. If any team has a Facebook page, let me know so I can ‘like’ it and see your social ‘stuff’. Since only OCT and STAT are in my Facebook right now, they are featured in this issue of the Aqua Master! It would be nice to feature, in each issue, things that are currently going on in many different teams.
Oregon City Tankers in their ‘Tank’
Introducing: The Oregon City Tankers (OCT)
- SwimOutlet.com, a partner with USMS, featured the Tankers as their “Team of the Month” in August, 2015.
- There are 50 swimmers on the team, registered with USMS
- Based in Oregon City, Oregon
- The Masters team was established in 2011 by Bryan Watt. Tim Waud took over as coach in 2012. He left the Oregon Reign team for the opportunity to coach. Tim was the 2014 FINA World Championship-Montreal US Masters Swimming World Team Head Coach
- The Oregon City pool has been remodeled since the team started. It is an indoor, 6 lane, 25m competition pool, Colorado Timing System with fully-integrated color digital scoreboard
- The team has an active social life
- Oldest swimmer: Virginia Phipps (92); Youngest swimmer: Richard Miller (19)
- The Tankers got their name from a long time sports editor in Oregon City, John Denny. He used the word Tankers to describe the local swim team in his newspaper articles. The old Oregon City pool used to be called “The Tank”, so they decided to use a little bit of nostalgia and name the masters team the Oregon City Tankers. The Tankers host an annual Dual Sanction (USA Swimming and USMS) event in March. Two-time Olympic bronze medalist (92′, 96′) Mark Pinger (Germany) swims on the Tankers. Oregon City Tankers have won the Oregon Masters Swimming Spirit Award four years in a row.
- OCT received the 4th place team award at the Gil Young OMS Association Meet in August
The pool was closed and the dust in the air is from sandblasting in preparation for painting.
Robbert van Andel and Sonja Skinner received the coveted “Tanker Towel”. Only two Tankers receive the award each year. Past recipients include: Mike Landen, Kristina Franklin, Alex Crooks and Emily Grassman. These athletes are chosen by head coach Tim Waud and they reflect the the true spirit of Tanker swimming.
Virginia Phipps (90) with Jill Shrake, Tim Waud’s future wife
Introducing: Sandy Triton Aquatic Team (STAT)
- STAT has 17 USMS-registered swimmers
- Based in Sandy, Oregon
- Team was established in October, 2014, by Coach Mark Smith and Grant Hayball. Coach Smith has coached high school swimmers and worked at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center.
- Oldest swimmer: Alice Zabudsky (70); Youngest swimmer: Asha Gatchell (19)
- The name was selected because the acronym STAT, in the medical world, means ‘quick,’ ‘hurry,’ ‘fast’
- STAT received 3rd place team award at the Gil Young meet in August
- This summer STAT painted their coach’s house and enjoyed the social interaction of the event
STAT at the OMS Gil
Young Meet
Tami Fischer on the roof with paintbrush in hand