The Braemar Blasters reached one of their long-time goals Saturday, defeating the Sudley Seahorses, a team that has gone undefeated for the past 14 years, with a score of 2,672 to 2,621.
Like most Prince William County swim teams, the Braemar Blasters have long dreamed of one day defeating the Seahorses. However, years ago, when Will Gideonse and Annie Livengood signed on as the team’s coaches, that goal was still a long ways off; the Blasters were not even in the same league as the Seahorses.
“We started in the lower divisions, and as we built and built and built, we moved up and up, and that’s been our final goal (to defeat the Seahorses),” said Assistant Coach Annie Livengood.
Over the years, the Braemar team grew bigger, stronger and more skilled. Dedicated swimmers returned, bringing skills and conditioning they gained from year-round participation. The young swimmers spread the word about the team and convinced friends to participate.
The Blasters' reputation grew more formidable and so did the level of excitement that came with swimming on one of the county’s top teams.
Most of all, rather than growing out of the sport, the swimmers chose to lean into it. Parents did too, supporting their children in swimming over a myriad of other sports, summer jobs, camps and summer vacations.
“A lot of good returning swimmers makes all the difference. When you have families coming back that have been here before, it makes it a real community,” said Livengood.
Head Coach Gideonse agreed that the dedication comes from the entire family.
"We couldn't have the sport without the parents. It's a very parent-centric sport," he said.
He also believes that parents become "shareholders" who are emotionally-invested in the team's success.
About three years ago, Gideonse and Livengood realized that they were inching up on the Seahorses. At swim meets, the teams were becoming more competitive, and last year, there were only a few points between the two teams.
“We’ve been subtly coming toward them,” Gideonse said.
However, despite their growing numbers, the Blasters were still the underdogs. Unlike the Blasters, the Seahorses' swimmers belonged to a private swim club, which originated before many of the communities had their own swim teams. This allowed schedule practices during the day and attract families from many different neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, on the typical swim day, teens show up as early as 7 a.m. to start practice at the Braemar pool. This summer, that often meant swimming in the pouring rain.
Yet, Gideonse sees being a neighborhood team as the Blasters’ greatest asset because it creates a strong sense of community that the swimmers and their families tap into.
“I think it’s our kids; they’re all friends. We’re a little community, but we’ve been forming up as a tighter-knit group for seven years now,” Gideonese said.
However, the Sudley Seahorses will get a chance to face the Blasters one more time this year, as three teams: the Blasters, Seahorses and Kingsbrooke Sea Lions will advance to the divisional finals on July 27.
As for Gideonse and Livengood, they are proud not only of their team’s record, but of every member of the team.
Most of all, the coaches said it is not about the competition, but about the sport, one that offers multiple rewards.
Swimming is a “life-long sport” said Gideonse because people continue to swim at any age. It is also a great sport to manage health, fitness and wellness, and being aerobic, it is great for the heart and lungs.
Moreover, swimmers spend their time participating in an overall beneficial practice in which they meet friends, work toward goals and keep out of trouble. This even translates into better grades for the swimmers, and most of Braemar's 11-12 swimmers are honor students.
"Swimming is a very physically-challenging sport, but it's also an intellectual sport," said Gideonse, who explained that swimmers reflect on their performances.
“If you've had a good swim, you could think about what you did differently," Livengood said.
As the sport continues to grow in western Prince William County, the leagues become more competitive and the swimmers more motivated.
“It’s a boomtown right now for swimming. The most dominant teams are out this way,” Gideonse said. “It’s a great time to be a swimmer because of all the opportunities.”
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