Long Beach swims to impressive finish

Long Beach’s girls’ swim team had success at both the county and state levels this month, showcasing their talent and dedication to the sport.

At the Nassau County Championships held on Nov. 1, the Marines finished fourth overall in a competition where swimmers must meet qualifying times to participate.

"We only had 10 girls go back to finals for the last day, and we ended up finishing fourth overall in counties,” coach, Lynn Volosevich said.

One standout athlete, freshman Vivienne Zangaro, made significant contributions to the team's success. At the county championships, Zangaro claimed three titles: the 200 freestyle, the 500 freestyle, and as part of the 400 freestyle relay. She also broke a school record in the 200 freestyle and earned consideration for an All-American title in the 500 freestyle.

“We go off to states and she ended up getting second in the 500 Freestyle in the whole state,” Volosevich said of Zangaro. “Her time was so fast that she had automatic All-American.”

Additionally, Zangaro, Gwen Serafin, Jessica Bassett, and Una Diaz emerged as the county champions in the 400 freestyle relay.

Long Beach’s success continued at the state level last weekend with those four qualifying for the state championships. The 400 free relay secured a 10th-place finish, while also beating out all other Nassau County rivals.

“A lot of sports are sectional, and they have different divisions,” Volosevich explained. “You can have a few state champions from different from the same county and things like that. But in swimming, when you swim in counties or when you swim in states it's the entire county or the entire state. At counties these girls are competing against 34 teams and at states, it's several 100 because it’s the entire state. At states, Long Beach actually finished first out of all the Nassau County teams.”

The achievements of the swimming team are not only a testament to their talents but also reflects their teamwork and dedication.

"They swim in the water constantly. A lot of them swim before school, about six o'clock in the morning every day,” Volosevich said. “And then again in the evening. So, they spend a good portion of their waking hours swimming."

Volosevich emphasized the bond she has with the swimming team, explaining how she has been mentoring the girls since the time they were in second grade.

"I'm so proud of them and watching them, we live on the water and we have swim programs with these kids from the time they're in second grade,” Volosevich said. “So, I've had these kids in so many capacities. My high school has a second-grade swim program which I happen to teach at the high school. I've had them since the time that they were little."

This connection extends beyond the school walls, with Volosevich sharing her involvement in the Junior Lifeguard program on the beach, where she continues to guide the young athletes.

“We have the Junior Lifeguard program on the beach here, and I have them for that and they've been sitting on the varsity team since seventh grade,” Volosevich said. “For them to reach what they did at such a young age is just incredible. Our 400 free relay consisted of an eighth grader, two ninth graders, and a junior, and they placed fifth in the state.”

As the team continues to make waves, its accomplishments serve as an inspiration to both the school and local community. Top of Form