2013 JBLM Swim Meet

62nd AW rules pool

Air Force teams combine to win third consecutive swimming title

By Somer Breeze-Hanson/Northwest Guardian

The 62nd Airlift Wing has proven for the third consecutive year it rules the pool.

With the men’s and women’s swim team combining to win 14 of 26 events, the major unit based at McChord Field won the 2013 JBLM Swim Meet title for the third straight year at Soldiers Field House pool.

For the past two years the 4th Airlift Squadron had been the lone Air Force team at the meet, but with Airmen representing a variety of units this year, coach Chris Slauson redesignated the squad as “62nd Airlift Wing.”

“As a coach I try to help us set it up so we’re competitive, but as far as the individual people and their racing, everyone is just here to have fun,” Slauson said. “It just works out that we have the numbers and the talent.”

Similar to last year, the 62nd AW was missing a few swimmers because of flight missions. Amy Moore and Brandon Shroyer were unable to compete last year, but their schedules allowed them to contribute to the team’s success this year.

Moore, who played water polo for the Air Force Academy, tied Katherine Shroyer, who played water polo at UC-Davis, as the top female performer. Both swimmers won all of their individual events for the 62nd AW. Moore won the 100 meter individual medley, the 100 meter breaststroke, the 50 meter butterfly and the 50 meter breaststroke. Moore and Katherine Shroyer also won together in the 200 meter freestyle relay.

“We all just come out here to have fun,” Moore said. “We wanted to do it for the 62nd. It’s fun to win individually as well, but we’re mostly here for the 62nd and to compete together. I’m proud of us.”

Andrew Lester of the 520th Medical Company team, led the men’s division as the top male performer. He also led his team to a second-place overall finish.

Lester won the 100 meter individual medley, the 200 meter individual medley, the 100 meter butterfly and the 500 meter freestyle. Immediately after swimming the 500 meter race (20 pool lengths) he turned around to swim anchor in the 200 meter freestyle relay. But the Soldier is used to the quick turnaround after swimming competitively for North Carolina State before joining the Army.

“I am more impressed with my team because I said, ‘There’s a swim meet in a week and a half; can we get together?’” Lester said. “To see them out there (and swim) like they did, I was a lot more impressed with that.”

Tyler Boyd, who won the 200 meter freestyle event, competed for the triathlon team at the Air Force Academy. He swam at the JBLM meet unattached, unaware of an Air Force team. The meet linked Boyd up with the growing 62nd AW team for future meets.

Other unattached winners included Gary May in the 50 meter backstroke and Axel Wolff, who won the 100 meter breaststroke, the 50 meter breaststroke and the 50 meter freestyle.

The 9th FMSU men’s team finished third while the 520th ASMC women’s team finished third. The 9th FMSU women’s team took second behind the 62nd AW.