Local Highlight: The Summit Sharks
Ahhh, summertime in New Jersey: long walks on the beach, spending the day at a ballgame, or enjoying a delicious scoop of cool ice cream on a sunny day. There are countless fun summer activities to enjoy during the months of June, July, and August- for many, however, there is nothing more iconic about summer than spending your days at the pool! This is especially true for all the members of the Summit Sharks local swim team!
Every summer, the Summit Family Aquatic Center offers the members of the pool (ages 5-18) the chance to be a part of this amazing public swim team! The Sharks’ season starts in June and goes all the way into the end of July, meaning that members of the team have more than enough time to get their strokes competition-ready while also building valuable relationships with the other Sharks!
As a devoted member of the Summit Sharks myself, I was given the opportunity to speak with other members of the team and ask them about why they love the Sharks so much!
Rory Gingo, a seasoned member of the Sharks states, “My favorite part of Sharks is hanging out with all my friends! There are many swimmers [whom] I don't see in school, whether it's because we are in different grades or different classes, [so] it's so nice to connect with them in the summer! Sharks also isn't too intense and focuses more on having fun and teaching us the strokes! Overall, I always look forward to the summer because Sharks is definitely the most fun and exciting part.”
Kendal Murphy, the Junior Coach of the Sharks also feels very strongly about the team: “My absolute favorite thing about Sharks is that everyone is so nice and so welcoming. I love how fun and laid-back everything is. My other favorite thing is when the last free relay gets up, and all the younger kids gather around the lane and cheer as loud as they can for all four swimmers. You can actually hear them cheering from in the water!”
And finally, Senior Coach of the team Sarina Cusumano shares, “I would probably say that my favorite memory [from Sharks] is when we win our home meets and get to jump in the pool afterward, that and also our relay carnival!”
As you can see, all the Sharks absolutely love the time they spend on the team- especially the moments spent with friends or taking part in all the Summit Sharks traditions that keep swimmers coming back each and every year!
