The Nelson Neptunes will welcome back Megan Bonikowsky and Kallie Badry as head coaches this summer following a strong season with the Whitworth University swim team in Spokane, Washington.
Both swimmers graduated from L.V. Rogers Secondary School and are now competing for Whitworth in NCAA Division III.
Whitworth won the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference swimming championships in February in Boise, Idaho, with Bonikowsky and Badry contributing several top finishes.
Badry placed first in the 400 individual medley, second in the 1,650 freestyle and third in the 500 freestyle. She also swam on the 800 freestyle relay team that won gold.
Bonikowsky finished second in the 200 breaststroke, third in the 200 individual medley and fourth in the 100 breaststroke. She also competed on four gold-medal-winning relay teams.
Her time in the 200 breaststroke qualified her for the NCAA Division III national championships, scheduled for March 18 to 21 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The two athletes train about 20 hours a week while balancing full-time university studies under the direction of Whitworth head coach Steve Schadt.
Both credit their success at the university level to being multi-sport athletes in high school, which helped them avoid burnout at a young age.
Summer swimming has played a key role in their development.
“The things I liked most about summer swimming as a kid was the team atmosphere, all the summer meets and the opportunity to race and make friends with swimmers from other clubs in the region.” said Badry, who swam with the Nelson Neptunes for 15 years.
Bonikowsky began swimming at age five with summer swim clubs on the coast. After moving to Nelson, she swam with both the Nelson Neptunes and the Kootenay Swim Club.
Looking back, Bonikowsky remembers “the fun and supportive atmosphere and all the friendships I made”.
Now returning as coaches, Bonikowsky and Badry said they are excited to work with the next generation of swimmers. They hope to share their experience, help athletes develop new skills and keep the sport fun.
The Nelson Neptunes runs practices several times a week from mid-May through August and attends weekend swim meets across the Kootenays.
The club is open to swimmers aged four to 18, with programs ranging from beginner to competitive levels. Registration opened March 6. More information is available on the Nelson Neptunes website.
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