AGE GROUP SWIMMING The Molokai Swim Team, attached to the Hawaii Swimming Club (HSC)-Kahului, welcomed four new members to the age group swimming program. The Maui County program is coordinated by the Maui Age Group Swimming Association (MAGSA). Thanks to continued support from donations directed to the team through the Molokai Community Service Council's Friendly Isle United Fund and to a new grant received from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, the team journeyed to Maui for the February 22 meet held at the Coach Soichi Sakamoto Swimming Complex at the War Memorial Center. All of the funding helps to defray travel expenses for the team. Newcomers Taryn Ishida, Katy Mokuau, Kelly Tachibana, and Lauren Kikukawa joined veterans Mahinameli Reyes and Lenn and Loni Yonemura and gained valuable experience in competitive swimming. While the first-time swimmers encountered some difficulties with the distances and rules, they gained an excellent perspective of what is to come in the upcoming long course season and participation in the high school swimming program. Although Kikukawa fell ill shortly after her opening event, the 200 Y Freestyle, Ishida, Mokuau, and Tachibana swam in all four individual events and teamed with Ji Yeon Ku of HSC-Kahului in the 200 Y Medley Relay. The remaining individual events were the 100 Y Breaststroke, the 100 Y Butterfly, and the 200 Y Backstroke. Mahina was also barely off the county record in winning the 25 Y Freestyle in the 8 & Under division. She also attained "B" times in the 50 Y Backstroke and 100 Y Breaststroke events. Loni lowered her qualifying times in all of her events and attained a "B" time in the 100 Y Breaststroke event. Swimming in the 11-12 group, Loni has nine qualifying times but will be limited to eight entries in the state championships. Lenn entered his first competition in the 15-16 division. Swimming against the older competition proved to his advantage though as he chased the faster swimmers and attained state qualifying times in the 200 Y Freestyle and the 100 Y Breaststroke events. Lenn has now attained five qualifying times and has an opportunity for three more times in the final meet of the season. The state championships will be held from March 21-25 and is tentatively scheduled at the Kalani High School swimming pool. The long course season will begin in April. The Molokai Swim Team will be starting a learn-to-swim class in April and interested families are asked to contact Head Coach David Kalani immediately. The Team thanks the Molokai Community Service Council for all of its continued support of Molokai's youth and extends another mahalo to the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation for their help in futhering the age group swimming program on Molokai!