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EDWARDSVILLE - The Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center has become a centerpiece for not only the Edwardsville High School boys and girls swim teams, but the Edwardsville YMCA Breakers and a host of regional college squads.
CFAC was recently named as the training site for the 2019 national convention, something Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center Director Bob Rettle said is quite an honor.
Edwardsville YMCA Breakers team continues dominance
The young ranks of the Breakers seem to be getting stronger every day. The Breakers have become a club team that begins the swimmers with YMCA lessons and some, for example, Bailey Grinter, go on to national championship swims. Bailey is now a member of the University of Tennessee squad with hopes of a 2020 Olympics appearance.
Earlier in September, Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center hosted a double-header on a Saturday with the Edwardsville YMCA Breakers against the Springfield YMCA, followed by a college meet. Lindenwood University moved a previously scheduled meet what Coach Rettle calls to the friendly confines of the Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center to square off against McKendree and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Lindenwood won the overall meet with 1,654.5 points. Lindenwood dominated in the men’s division with 813.5 points, followed by McKendree with 384.5 and University of Missouri-St. Louis with 167. In the women’s meet, Lindenwood won with 654 points, followed by McKendree with 536 and University of Missouri-St. Louis with 152 points.
Former Edwardsville High School and Breakers’ swimmer Brian Baggette, now a member of McKendree’s team, placed fourth in a clocking of 4:23.56 in the 400 meters in the meet. Teammate Justin Winnett was a star in that meet with the 50-meter spring (24.86) and 50 breast (29.82).
“This showed the versatility of the amazing Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center by doing a 25-yard YMCA meet in the morning then flipping the pool in 30 minutes to the 50-meter configuration to accommodate the college meet showdown,” Rettle said. “Our new president/executive director at the YMCA continues to support my vision for the team and mirror what Gary Niebur, the previous director, envisioned in me.”
The Heartland YMCA Area Meet is set for March at Chuck Fruit.
"Next June we will host diversity and inclusion championships," Rettle said. "We try to focus on bringing on non-traditional people a stage for them to show off their skills.
“I think the late Chuck Fruit and his surviving wife, Sharon, would be proud,” he said. “Dr. (Lynda) Andre and the Edwardsville School District have been great, Gary Niebur put us in position for success and he was fantastic for swimming here in Edwardsville. The new director Tom Verheyen has continued the top-level vision. Our coaches are also fantastic from Christian Rhoten and Sam Shaw at the high school to Eric and all the other coaches with the Breakers.”
Evan Grinter continues a family tradition
Evan Grinter is continuing the family tradition in the backstroke and swam a 29.09 for first in the 13-14 division in the dual against Springfield.
Other top Breakers' performances against Springfield YMCA were:
Emily Moody, first place in the 11-12 50 butterfly (30.91).
Ava Whitaker, first place in the 50 butterfly (28.92) and 50 free (26.86).
Porter LeVasseur first in the 50 free (22.73) and 100 medley (57.50).
Cohen Osborn with three firsts - the 50 fly (27.16), 100 medley (1:02.83); and 50 breast (32.55).
Pera Onal in the 50 breast (34.18); 100 medley (1:08.46); and 50 free (27.28).
Edwardsville won that meet with 792 points to Springfield’s 367. The girls won 405-177 and boys 387-190.
In the Breakers first meet, Rettle had these comments: “We have a fantastic crop of young swimmers. They are big, strong and fast and there are a lot of them. We are very competitive among ourselves in training and competitions have high expectations and big goals. Long term working for 2020 Olympic Trials expect to get a swimmer there. We know these kids are up for the challenge.”
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