By Steven Serafini
Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor
After decades of dedication to coaching eager youths how to become competitive swimmers, the Sonoma Sea Dragons swim program continues on its long and gratifying quest to produce strong individual successes in a supportive team framework.
As a year-round, sanctioned, USA Swimming club team, located in Zone 3 of the Pacific Swimming LSC (Local Swimming Committee), the Sea Dragons are comprised of boys and girls ages 7 to 18 years old, and operate out of the Sonoma Valley High School Aquatic Center through a partnership with Sonoma Splash.
During the past year, the Sonoma Sea Dragons – directed by head coach Hannah Martin and associate coaches Peter Tragitt, Will Martin, Kat Ajax and Asher Green – swam in a host of meets and competitions with a continuous string of personal bests achieved, and an impressive list of high-level accomplishments.
Each summer the Pacific Zone 3 Redwood Empire Aquatic League (REAL) Championship meet is held, and in late July it took place at the SVHS Aquatic Center pool. It included, along with the Sonoma Sea Dragons, the AC Swim Club, DART-Solano, Napa Valley Swim Team, Neptune Swimming, Sebastopol Sea Serpents, Ukiah Dolphins and the Vallejo Aquatics.
The Sea Dragon swimmers who competed in the REAL championships were: Vera Bourassa, Noelle Chamberlin, Ella Cosgrove, Jack Cosgrove, Isabel Cuneo, Francesca Guzman, Colter Martin, Ethan Mary, Connor Patane, Elizabeth Patane, John Patane, Phoebe Richards, Emilia Robledo, Kaila Seyms, Oliver Seyms, Nova Tabayoyon, Jayden Williams and Jordan Williams.
At the REAL Championship meet, the Sonoma Sea Dragons were led by the team’s High Point winner Connor Patane’s six individual event first-place finishes in the 13-to-14-year-old age-group, with personal best records. (
Other top Sea Dragon finishers were Elizabeth Patane’s 11-12 age-group firsts in the 100 and 500 free; the 100 and 200 individual medleys (IM), and second in the 100 fly; Martin’s 15-and-over first in the 100 free and 100 breaststroke; John Patane’s 10-and-under 200 free first in 2:57.35; Oliver Seyms’ 13-to-14 400 IM second; Williams’ 13-to-14 400 IM third; Ethan Mary, who competed three days after getting his arm-cast removed, placed 13-14 thirds in the 200 breast and 400 IM; and Cuneo’s 11-12 50 free eighth.
Competing for the Sea Dragons in the season finale Summer Long Course Far Western championships, in Concord, were Connor Patane’s 13-14 sixth places in the 100- and 400-meter free; Martin placed seventh in the 15-and-over 100 breast; and Elizabeth Patane swam two events.
Also taking place in July were the Pacific Swimming Age Group championships, where Sonoma’s Connor Patane claimed an impressive 14-and-under 1,500 free PR second place in 17:58.60, a 200 free fifth and 400 free sixth in a PR 4:31.10; and Elizabeth Patane swam two 14-and-under events.
In the beginning of a busy spring season for the Sonoma swimmers, two Sea Dragons competed in separate high-level events on the same March weekend, with Connor Patane qualifying for his first Age Group Championship meet in the 50 and 100 fly, and 500 free, where he went on to post Far Westerns qualifying times in all three events. Colter Martin (15) was the first Sea Dragon in six years to compete in the Western Zone Senior Meet in Mesa, Arizona.
Then in April Sonoma’s Martin and Connor Patane swam in the cold and rain at the Far Westerns championships in Morgan Hill.
Said head coach Hannah Martin, “Our Sea Dragons train and compete outdoors year-round, and since we can’t control the weather our swimmers have to learn how to adapt and still perform at big meets, and Connor did just that by breaking a 34-year-old team record in the 500 free with a time of 4:59.85.”
The Sonoma Sea Dragons wrapped up their spring-meet schedule with five swimmers – John Patane (8), Elizabeth Patane (12), Kaila Seyms (14), Jordan Williams (14), and Connor Patane (14) – selected to the Pacific Swimming Zone All Stars Meet that took place back in Morgan Hill, and they were members of the Zone 3 team.
“The Sea Dragons have only sent one swimmer to this meet in the last six years, so to have five selected this year to represent not only the Zone, but also our team, was very exciting,” said Hannah Martin.
Any boy or girl interested in learning more about the Sea Dragon team, or swim lessons at Sonoma Splash, visit sonomasplash.org, and to set up an assessment with head coach Hannah Martin, email [email protected].
Photo: Five Sonoma Sea Dragons, pictured with head coach Hannah Martin (back, right), who were selected to the Zone 3 All Star Team and competed in the Pacific Swimming Zone All-Stars Meet, were (from left) Kaila Seyms, Jordan Williams, Elizabeth Patane, Connor Patane and John Patane.
Be First to Comment