The New Castle Community YMCA is honored to nominate ...



Randalyn Hill – New Castle Community YMCA

The New Castle Community YMCA is honored to nominate Randalyn Hill for the 2017 Pump McLaughlin Memorial Award for Spirit and Enthusiasm. Randi is an exceptional young lady who truly epitomizes the YMCA core values of Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility. She has been a member of the New Castle Community YMCA for seven years. Randi is a District Qualifier and one of our team captains. More importantly, the enthusiasm she shows towards everything she does is an example and inspiration to our whole team.

Randi has fast tracked herself in school and will be graduating early this year from the Commonwealth Charter Academy. Outside of swimming she volunteers in the nursery of her Church, is a leader in her Youth Ministry group, she leads a creative writing team, and is the worlds' best big sister to four boys.

Randi has a true servant’s heart. She can be found at every swim meet and practice encouraging and engaging our younger swimmers. She would never want credit and sacrifices a lot of her time for the team without complaining even though she has to deal with a lot of physical pain from injuries and surgery. You would never know the pain she is in, because she always has a smile on her face. She loves the little boys and girls on our team, and they in turn always want to be around her.

Randi is an example, an encouragement, and a light to many. She is truly making a difference in the lives of all those around her.

Ian Schirra – Butler YMCA

Ian Schirra is a 17-year-old senior at Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, a private, Catholic, college preparatory school which he has attended since kindergarten.

Ian has a 4.28 GPA and his schedule includes four Advanced Placement classes this year. Leslie Mitros, Aquinas Academy Head of School and Ian’s AP Calculus BC teacher said, “Ian exhibits the same kind of spirit and enthusiasm in the classroom that he does with his athletics.  He enjoys learning, and even pursued an independent course in Russian!   He engages in class discussion with well-formed opinions, especially regarding issues that affect the life and welfare of others.” Ian not only speaks up for the welfare of others, but puts it into action. He tutored a younger student in Latin for almost an entire school year, helps babysit his 3-year-old nephew every Friday evening, and has engaged in community service projects with his LifeTeen church youth group. Ian also serves his community in the role of Sacristan for Aquinas Academy’s Chapel, as an altar server for over 9 years at his parish, and as a Lector.

Ian has been swimming competitively since the age of 5, starting at the Penn Valley Athletic Club (PVAC) in Butler County, under Coach Corrie Jones, who mentored under Coach Pump McLaughlin. The spirit and enthusiasm of Pump McLaughlin has been exemplified for Ian through Coach Corrie and older teammates. Last summer, Ian practiced with his YMCA teammates from 6:30am-8:30am, then volunteered at the Penn Valley practices to help wherever Coach Corrie needed him, whether it was gathering equipment or helping the younger PVAC swimmers with starts and strokes. Ian has always had encouraging words for the younger swimmers to learn the strokes and do their best while enjoying the camaraderie and fun of the summer swim programs. Ian’s love of the water has led him to work as a lifeguard and swim instructor at PVAC, helping to develop the next generation of Penn Valley swimmers.

Ian has been swimming for the Butler YMCA, coached by Alex Fertelmes and Corrie Jones, since the age of 8, and with its affiliated U.S.A. team since age 13. He has qualified for YMCA State Championships every year since he was 12. Ian participates in the mentor program where Junior and Senior swimmers help teach the Novice swimmers the Y character values, starts, turns, and strokes, while at the same time helping the young swimmers to have fun. Ian communicates well with his teammates from all age groups. He can be found at Y meets high-fiving the younger to senior swimmers before and after their events, always positive, always motivating swimmers to do their best and to enjoy the sport. Ian’s persistence when faced with adversity is admirable. He always has a positive attitude regardless of the outcome of his races. Ian is respected by his teammates and has proven to them that hard work and perseverance pays off. Ian is a true and honest friend.

Ian has also been swimming all four high school years representing Aquinas Academy as an independent swimmer. Ian qualified for WPIAL high school swimming championships all four years and for PIAA state championships last year. Because Aquinas does not have a swim team, Ian swam to qualify for WPIALs at Knoch High School swim meets, where the team and coaches treated him as one of their own and Ian responded the same. Ian faced challenges as an independent swimmer as he could only swim if there was an open lane, which sometimes meant swimming in a heat all by himself, but that never deterred him, especially with everyone cheering him on. It was evident that Ian loved being at the Knoch meets as he participated wholeheartedly in the Knoch Swim Team’s cheer as well as in motivating and cheering on his fellow swimmers. Ian provided feedback to other swimmers after their races and offered swimming tips and positive motivation to help his fellow swimmers meet their WPIAL qualifying times. He was also quick to volunteer to hold the 500 free cards, while giving cheers of encouragement to that swimmer.

Ian is considering Computer Science as a major and plans to continue swimming at the collegiate level, where he is sure to continue spreading his spirit and enthusiasm.

Gabrielle Wayne - DuBois Area YMCA

Gabi is the type of student athlete that an educator and coach may only be privileged to teach and coach every few years. She is an encouraging teammate, fierce competitor, and supportive friend and the perfect role model for her young teammates. She strives to do her best, and puts forth the effort needed to achieve her goals. Gabi challenges herself and is never satisfied with mediocrity.

Gabi, who turns 18 today (March 11th), is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John and Melissa Wayne of DuBois. She started swimming at the age of 5 and has always been very passionate in helping children find a love for the sport. She not only teaches children the fundamentals of swimming, but she also teaches them the sportsmanlike qualities that are needed both in and out of the pool. This fall, Gabi will begin her collegiate career at either St. Bonaventure or Clarion University, where she will study Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education with the intent of becoming a Kindergarten teacher. Not only does she put in the time needed in the classroom and the pool, she also devotes many hours to other extra-curricular activities and community service projects. Gabi is Historian of the National Honor Society, a member of Student Council, participant and winner of the Mr. and Miss DuBois Make-A-Wish competition, and a member of the DAHS softball and track and field teams. She also volunteers with the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, DuBois Challenger’s Baseball Team and teaches Sunday School and Bible School at her church.

As her swim coaches, we believe that Gabi demonstrates the ability to challenge and push herself to make the changes that are needed to be THE most coachable athlete that we’ve had to opportunity to coach. She is a consummate leader and fierce competitor. Her teammates, new and experience, look to Gabi’s work and personal values on how to practice, be competitive and yet remain true to one’s self. They trust her. She is a compassionate and levelheaded listener. She innately knows how to treat and respect people. This aside, Gabi is by no means timid. She has confidence in her swimming ability. She is typically the first student to arrive weekdays, lifting in the weight room or perfecting her strokes in the swimming pool and can be found in the weight rooms on Sunday afternoons. She has swum in the “powerhouse lane” all four years. She continually sets goals for herself that test and push her beyond expectations.

Besides putting in the extra hours needed achieve her personal goals, Gabi is always willing to go the extra mile when it comes to up-and-coming age-group swimmers. It is common to see Gabi walking alongside and encouraging 8&U swimmers struggling through a 25-yard freestyle race. She does not think twice when she is asked to work with her teammates to improve their stroke technique and perfect starts and turns. This past fall, she devoted a couple hours each Sunday to work with two swimmers who joined the swim team over the summer and wanted to be prepared for the upcoming winter season. Two weeks ago, Gabi did not hesitate to work with an 11-year old swimmer hoping to make a district time after her 3-hour high school practice. Gabi has already volunteered her time to the upcoming summer swim team’s coaching staff. Without being approached, she took it upon herself to say that she was willing to devote many weeks of her summer vacation teaching young kids the fundamentals of swimming.

This year Gabi was voted team captain by her teammates and won by an overwhelming majority. As captain, she has demonstrated spirit and enthusiasm during meets, practices and outside of the pool. She was also voted “Most School Spirited” by her senior classmates. She is always willing to talk, cheer up and support her whole team. She goes above and beyond what anyone would expect of her.

Some of the distinguished awards that Gabi has acquired throughout her career include: nine-time YMCA West District and State Qualifier, four-time YMCA National Qualifier, DuBois YMCA Dolphins High Point winner, three-time MVP of the DAHS Varsity Swim Team, eleven-time District 9/10 champion and PIAA State Qualifier, All-State Honorable Mention in the 200 Freestyle, twenty-one-time DuBois Dolphin YMCA record holder and six-time DAHS record holder.

Cara Webster - Bradford Family YMCA

Every coach loves to train athletes who want to get better and are willing to put in the time and effort that is required to become the “best that you can be”. Swimming is a sport that takes a lot of dedication, a willingness to work hard even when you are tired, have injuries and when you even plateau in your times. Cara Webster is one of those athletes. Cara joined the Bradford Barracudas when she was an eight and under. Right from the beginning, she displayed a love for the water and for being on the team. She has worked endlessly to get better and move to the next level in her swimming. She trains with intensity, makes up practices she may miss and asks how she can get better. Besides her work ethic, she is a team leader for our younger swimmers and a friend to all in her group. She is responsible, respectful, and caring all the attributes of a YMCA swimmer.

Setting an example of sportsmanship by cheering for her teammates and encouraging them along the way, she has developed into a strong role model for other swimmers on our team to aspire toward. She is seen in the pool wishing other competitors good luck before a race and congratulates them after their swims. She daily encourages those in her group to make a time or set no matter how difficult it may be. Thinking of others and making sure their experience in and out of the pool is positive has become natural for Cara.

Cara offers to work with younger swimmers and understands that it takes all of us working together to be the best Bradford YMCA team we can be. She has been a junior coach for us and teaches swim lessons at the Y and is a lifeguard also. Cara has developed in to a strong leader, who is committed to the Y but also to her community and family. Cara volunteers at her church and the local catholic school for community events.

Cara is a senior at Bradford Area High School. She has been on the distinguished honor roll all 4 years with a GPA of 4.0. She is a member of the National Honor Society, green club, art club, and on the cross country and swim teams. She plans to pursue a career performing research and teaching at a university in the field of neuroscience.

It is with great pleasure that I nominate Cara for the Pump McLaughlin award as she is a young lady who will go far in anything she puts her mind to but also will be grounded enough to realize that giving back to your community and helping others no matter where she may be will make our world a better place to live.

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