Casey TigerSharks, back from left, Sarah Corbett, Aleysha Tokai (best senior female swimmer), Josh Beaver (best senior male swimmer), Arnon Lodder (best junior male swimmer), and front, Bridget Bicsak (best junior female swimmer), Shaun Banzon and Erena Koukounaras (male and female encouragement award winners) won trophies at the club’s The Casey TigerSharks celebrated their best season yet at Cranbourne Turf Club last Friday night, and the chase is now on to boost swimmer numbers to 200.
The TigerSharks continue to progress in national and state swimming ranks and won their first two Australian titles courtesy of Aleysha Tokai and Josh Beaver in April.
They join fellow national medallist Craig Watson in the junior Australian team for the Trans-Tasman Tri Series against New Zealand in Melbourne, Wodonga and Canberra from 5 to 11 July.
Casey head coach Ben Hiddlestone is delighted for his three athletes and hopes next month’s opening of the Casey RACE pool will further bolster the club.
“We’re keen as mustard to get into this new Casey RACE pool at Cranbourne,” he said.
“That opens 15 June, so we’re less than three weeks away from the most major change in the club’s history in terms of lane space.
“It’s just a massive improvement. We’re farewelling the old Cranbourne pool and welcoming Casey RACE.
“The council and YMCA have given us great support and, with those extra lanes, we can go from 140 to 200 swimmers and … start challenging some of the larger clubs with points.”
Hiddlestone said it was important to recognise his swimmers’ outstanding efforts over the season.
“You can’t have sport without that little justification, that little boost, that tangible trophy or medal they get,” he said.
“The club puts a lot of money and resources into making sure it’s a great night and we keep it nice and cheap for the families to go along.”
Tokai and Beaver took out the best senior female and male swimmer awards respectively, while Bridget Bicsak and Arnon Lodder won the junior equivalents.
Hiddlestone was full of praise for them and also dual national medallist Stephanie Demestichas and Watson.
“Aleysha’s a class act. She’s trained harder than anyone for 14 months and committed so much to the program and got up there and got the best results,” he said.
“Steph went from winning state champs for the first time in her life, which is a big thing, to winning two silvers at nationals, which is a massive thing compared to that.
“Craig’s been with me for four years, working and working and leading by example and made a major breakthrough this season with his first silver medal at nationals and has now been picked in that junior Australian team.”
Meanwhile, the TigerSharks also dominated the Metro District South awards.
Tokai won best senior female swimmer and Jake Templar claimed the best junior male swimmer.
Casey also won the overall club honours.
Hiddlestone is tipping Lodder as the name to watch ahead of next season.
