Sports
Swim team lands 83 regional and district awards
Tuesday, 20 March 2012 by Chuck Kelly
Anyone searching for an elite sports program need search no further than the Belton High School swim program.
In his seven years as the head coach, Mike Burt has transformed the program into a perennial success story.
This year can be described in one word --- WOW! The 2011-2012 Tiger Swim Team earned 50 district honors and 32 regional honors for their performances at the District and Region Meets for a total of 83 post-season honors!
"I'm so happy for them," Burt admitted. "They (the student-athletes) do work hard. Most of them primarily work year-around to achieve certain goals in swimming. I think this is just a reflection of their hard work and efforts in their commitment to the program."
1st Team All-District 12-5A swimmers are:
Mitch Anderson – 200 Individual Medley, 500 Free, 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay; Austin Couillard – 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay; Erika Delgado – 200 Free, 100 Back, 200 Medley relay and 400 Free Relay; Kennedy Lim – 100 Breast, 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay; Benjamin York – 200 Free, 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay; Megan Nitcher – 100 Butterfly, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Clara Pappenfort – 100 Butterfly,200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Jessica Bonner – 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Jacob Fitzwater – 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Brandon Smith – 400 Free Relay; and Evan Nitcher – 400 Free relay.
2nd Team All-District:
Jessica Bonner – 200 Free; Tristan Boss – 500 Free; Jacob Fitzwater – 100 Butterfly; Kennedy Lim – 50 Free; Megan Nitcher – 100 IM; Clara Pappenfort – 50 Free; Samantha Pentico – 100 back and 200 Free Relay; Benjamin York – 100 Free; Margueret Betbeze – 200 Free Relay; Hannah Gazette – 200 Free Relay; and Katie Hennessee – 200 Free Relay.
Honorable Mention All-District:
Ethan Becker – 200 Free and 100 Back; Tristan Boss – 200 Free; Hannah Gazette – 100 & 200 Free; Evan Nitcher – 200 Individual Medley; Connor Przybylski – 100 Breast; and Jessica Bonner – 500 Free.
The post-season honors continued to pile up as the Tiger swimmers competed at the Region 3-5A Swimming and Diving meet.
1st Team All-Region athletes included:
Mitch Anderson – 200 Free Relay; Austin Couillard – 100 Back and 200 Free Relay; Benjamin York – 200 Free Relay; Kennedy Lim – 200 Free Relay; and Brandon Smith – 200 Free Relay.
2nd Team All-Region:
Erika Delgado – 100 Back, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Clara Pappenfort – 100 Butterfly, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Megan Nitcher – 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Jessica Bonner - 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay; Katie Hennessee - 200 Medley Relay; Mitch Anderson – 200 Individual and 500 Free; Austin Couillard – 200 Medley Relay; Benjamin York – 200 Free and 200 Medley Relay; Kennedy Lim – 200 Medley Relay; Jacob Fitzwater – 200 Medley Relay; and Brandon Smith – 200 Medley Relay.
Honorable Mention All-Region:
Erika Delgado – 200 Free; Megan Nitcher – 100 Butterfly; Mitch Anderson – 400 Free Relay; Austin Couillard – 100 Free; Brandon Smith – 400 Free Relay; Evan Nitcher – 400 Free Relay; Ethan Becker – 400 Free Relay; and Connor Prsybylski – 400 Free Relay.
The construction of the Roy and Jean Smith Belton Swim Center on campus has been an important part of establishing the BHS Swim team as one of the more elite in Texas.
Seeing his young athletes reap the flood of honors is very rewarding to the two-time District Coach of the Year but Burt fends off any comments about his excellent job of coaching and mentoring his young swimmers, stating: "It's all about the youngsters...their efforts...their work habits...their commitment to the program and the rewards reflect that."
