Swim P.E.I. hands out awards
Alison MacEachern of the Blupehins is named most outstanding swimmer for the past season
Alison MacEachern of the Charlottetown Bluephins was the big winner recently as Swim P.E.I. handed out its annual awards.
The 18-year-old Charlottetown native received the Alex B. Campbell Award for most outstanding swimmer during the ceremony at Credit Union Place in Summerside.
Not only has MacEachern demonstrated great leadership on the Bluephins, she enjoyed a consistent year in the pool dominating at the New Brunswick championships and earning three top-20 finishes at the Eastern Canadians, including an eighth in the 200metre fly. She was swmmer of the meet at the Bowdoin Invitiatonal in Brunswick, Me., while at the East Coast championships she won two gold, and won a bronze in the 200-metre fly at the Quebec City invitational.
She consistently ranks in the top-20 in her age group nationally, and was the 2014 Bluephin Swimmer of the Year.
She is in her first year swimming for Acadia’s varsity team in Wolfville, N.S.
Lexie Carruthers was the winner of the Barney Bree Award for leadership, fair play and sportsmanship. Her peers recognized Carruthers for her outstanding love of the sport and how she embraces being an ambassador for the Bluephins club. She is attending, and swimming for, Mount Allison University.
Longtime volunteers Donna and Ron Profit were recognized with honourary lifetime achievement membership awards, having been involved in the sport for more than 30 years. Donna has been active as a board member, coach, volunteer, official and mentor, while Ron has played a key role as a parent, official and volunteer.
Both were instrumental in building the CARI pool through their role with the Y’s men, and their children have been actively involved as swimmers at all levels. They recently began a scholarship program for UPEI and Bluephin swimmers.
ADL/Sport P.E.I. certificates of achievement were also presented, and the coach of the year award was given to Edie Rogers, who enjoyed success both with her age-group swimmers, and the para program, which saw Hannah MacLellan qualify for the highest domestic competition, the CanAm Open. Her age-group swimmers also had the highest improvement percentage on the Bluephins during the season.
Jules Aucoin was named official of the year for his efforts at all of the major Island meets where he officiated the on-deck positions such as chief timer, stroke judge and inspector of turns.
Volunteer of the year went to Rich Addison, who performed the duties of meet manager at all of the major events at CARI, in addition to board duties with both the Bluephins and Swim P.E.I.
Kim Edwards was recognized as administrator of the year for her excellent work in guiding Swim P.E.I. to the next level, while the media award was presented to Susan Tweel, who was honoured for her work promoting the sport within the Island media. Crowell on all-star team During the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) cross-country championship Dalhousie’s Maddy Crowell was named to the seven-woman all-star team.
The Charl o t t e t o w n native, in her fifth year of eligibility, finished fourth in 23:00.05 to finish behind Dalhousie teammates Ellen Chappell (22:22.53), Colleen Wilson (22:53.42) and Britany Macarthur (22:54.66).
She will also be competing at the CIS championships in St. John’s, N.L.
Crowell placed seventh at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) cross-country in 2012 meet while attending Mount Allison University. Earlier that year, Crowell won the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association gold medal for her fourth consecutive time.
She was also a member of the Mounties swim team.