The Monmouth Barracudas, based at the Neptune Aquatic Club, will compete in the Keo Nakama Invitational in Oahu in Hawaii from July 5-7. Photo credit: Monmouth Barracudas.
By CHRIS CHRISTOPHER
The Monmouth Barracudas are headed for the Aloha State.
Based at the Neptune Aquatic Center, the team will compete in the 76th annual Keo Nakama Invitational in Oahu from July 5-7. The event’s host is the Hawaii Swim Club.
“It’s our third trip to the island,” coach Paul Buerck said. “We were invited based on the qualifying times of our swimmers. There will be about 19 other teams in the meet. Teams will also be from all of the Hawaiian Islands, Japan, Guam and California. Our traveling party will consist of 83 people, including 25 athletes and five coaches.
“Our goal is to enjoy the high level of competition and compete with the Hawaiian and California teams and the international teams from Japan and Guam. We are very excited for a tremendous meet, wonderful activities and a lifetime of memories! We are so proud to represent the mainland!”
Fundraising was extensive. The Barracudas sold team shirts and caps. There was a team lunch. Companies sponsored team shirts. There were doughnut sales. The team will work at the Sea. Hear. Now Festival in Asbury Park from Sept. 14-15.
“Each family paid its own way,” Buerck said. “We raised funds for the buses and the team trips. It takes a village to get to this type of meet. Families have made great sacrifices in terms of commitment, fundraising efforts and time as well as the efforts the swimmers have made in the pool. We are all so proud of all our swimmers and their families.”
The reigning Florida TYR champions, the Barracudas trained outdoors in a 50-meter pool for the last month.
“We have prepared for this meet all year!” Buerck said. “We have competed in more than 20 meets this year!”
Activities include a team luau, a team dinner, a team surfing trip, a trip to Pearl Harbor, hula lessons, lots of shaved ice and moco loco.
“And, of course, some fast swimming,” Buerck said.
The Barracudas placed eighth in 2003 and sixth in 2013. There were about 18 teams in each meet.
Athletes from The Coaster’s coverage are among the Barracudas’ competitors.
Mercy Brevet, 13, of Ocean Grove, will compete in the girls 13-14 age group in the 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley, 400 medley relay A, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Teagan Caldwell, 12, of Bradley Beach, will compete in the girls 11-12 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 50 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke, women’s open 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly and the women’s open 400 freestyle relay.
Allyson Fey, 13, of Neptune, will compete in the girls 13-14 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, women’s open 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley, 200 backstroke, 400 medley relay A, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Cecelia Flammia, 15, of Ocean, will compete in the women’s open in the 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley, 200 backstroke, 400 medley relay B, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Grace Lynn Flammia, 15, of Ocean, will compete in the women’s open in the 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley, 400 medley relay B, 200 freestyle relay B, 400 freestyle relay B and medley relay B.
Nicholas Patrick Kelly, 17, of Ocean, will compete in the male open in the 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 butterfly, 100 freestyle, 400 medley relay B, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay B and the 200 medley relay A.
Bradley Maher, 15, of Neptune, will compete in the male open in the 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley, 400 medley relay A, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Grace Montanari, 16, of Interlaken, will compete in the women’s open 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley relay B, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Isabella Montanari, 19, of Interlaken, will compete in the women’s open in the 200 medley, 50 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 400 medley relay A, 200 freestyle relay A, 400 freestyle relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Abigail Piecyk, 16, of Neptune, will compete in the women’s open in the 200 medley, 50 free, 200 breast, 100 breast, 100 free and the 400 free relay C.
Alyssa Nicole Poletti, 14, of Tinton Falls, will compete in the girls 13-14 200 medley relay, 50 free, 400 free, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 100 free, 200 back, 400 medley relay A, 200 free relay A, 400 free relay A and the 200 medley relay A.
Tyler Terhune, 17, of Tinton Falls, will compete in the male open in the 200 medley, 50 free, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 back, 200 fly, 100 free, 400 medley, 200 back, 400 medley relay B, 200 free relay B and the 200 medley relay B.
Owen Arthur Tongring, 14, of Ocean, will compete in the boys 13-14 in the 200 medley, 50 free, 400 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 200 fly, 100 free, 400 medley, 200 back male open 400 medley relay A, 400 free relay B and the 200 medley relay B.
Elisabeth Nicole Weiss, 18, of Tinton Falls, will compete in the women’s open in the 200 medley, 50 free, 400 free, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 100 free, 400 medley, 200 back, 400 medley relay A, 200 free relay B, 400 free relay A and the 200 medley relay b.
Nakama, who died in September of 2011 at the age of 91, set a world record in the mile (20:29) in the freestyle and earned All-America honors at Ohio State University. He later served as a high school swim coach, teacher and a 10-year member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives. He sped to six Big Ten, four NCAA, three NAAU indoor and six NAAU outdoor titles in distance freestyle events.
The outbreak of World War II prevented his competing in the 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games as he was at his peak from 1940-44.
He starred at third base on the Buckeyes’ baseball team which won the 1943 Big Ten title and was the first Ohio State athlete to serve as a team captain in two different sports. He taught at the school for two years. He won five gold medals in the 1940 Pan American Swimming Championships. He won 27 USA national swimming titles for freestyle distances ranging from 110 yards to 1500 meters. He won six Australian national titles.
He was the first person to swim the Molokai Channel, also known as the Kaiwi Channel, a route from the island of Molokai to Oahu, at the age of 41. He crossed the 27-mile channel in 15 1/2 hours. Challenged by muscle cramps and fatigue and suffering from the stings of Portuguese Men of War, he finished in Hanauma Bay at night in front of thousands of admiring spectators.
A hall of famer’s hall of famer, Nakama was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1975, the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1967. He taught swimming for two years at Ohio State and worked as a high school teacher, athletic director and occasional swim coach at Farrington and Leilehua high schools and at the Washington and Jarrett intermediate schools.