Monroe-New Glarus Swim Team Holds Painting the Pool Pink Night
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Photo courtesy of Riley Hoesly and Danika Doll
The Monroe-New Glarus swim team learned that a teammate's mother is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment for the second time, and the team wanted to do something to show support. The team decided to design and order pink T-shirts for the evening, kicking off October's Breast Cancer Awareness month by "Painting the Pool Pink." In only five days, the team rallied and sold nearly 75 shirts! In addition to several cash donations, the team was able to collect $375.00! The team learned that an anonymous donor had arranged to pay the entire bill for the shirt order!! The swimmers presented a check to their teammate's family in the amount of $1,400.00!! The presentation finished with a large group photo uniting both teams, parents, and fans who showed their support by wearing pink.
On October 4th, the Monroe-New Glarus swim team hosted their final home meet of the season.
The team of 13 (which includes eight freshman) went into the night with a 2-2 record in a highly competitive conference.
At this final home meet, the swimmers celebrated Parent's Night.
But there was more...
A teammate's mother is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment for the second time, and the team wanted to do something to show support.
The swimmers initially decided to design and order pink T-shirts for the evening, kicking off October's Breast Cancer Awareness month by "Painting the Pool Pink." The team, as well as the opposing swimmers and all spectators, were invited to wear pink. Monroe-New Glarus' adopted mascots, a pair of ride-on hobby horses, even traded their usual mini-cheesehead hats for pink bows and ribbons for the event.
Preparations for the "Pink Night" quickly turned into thoughts of a small fundraiser, where $5 from every pink shirt sale would be given to the family. With such a small team, it was expected that they may be able to raise enough money to surprise the family with a $100 gift card.
However, the swimmers shared the fundraising plans with both schools and their high school athletic teams. In only five days, the team rallied and sold nearly 75 shirts! In addition to several cash donations, the team was able to collect $375.00!
Following the standard Parent's Night recognitions, Captains Riley Hoesly and Danika Doll presented the surprise to their teammate.
At that point, all of the swimmers and parents were completely unaware that an anonymous donor had arranged to pay the entire bill for the shirt order!! This meant that every dollar given toward the pink shirt orders went directly to the family!
The Captains' jaws dropped as they delivered this incredible announcement with tears in their eyes. The swimmers presented a check to their teammate's family in the amount of $1,400.00!!
Additionally, the team collected money at the door, "filling their fins" with donations for the Susan G. Komen and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The presentation finished with a large group photo uniting both teams, parents, and fans who showed their support by wearing pink.
To add to the excitement of the night, every swimmer on the Monroe-New Glarus swim team finished with at least one personal best time of the season!
Swimming highlights of the evening included:
1st place finish in the 200 Medley Relay with the team of Amelia Geib, Maggie Piper, Piper Faber, and Amalia Morrison; winning by nearly 10 seconds with a time of 2:24.29!
1st place JV 200 Free by Brinlee Chapman with a best time, followed by 1st place Varsity 200 Free by Megan Chapman with a best time of 2:18.06. Danika Doll was just out-touched in a tight race for 3rd, finishing 4th with a best time of 2:36.05.
All 50 Free entries finished with best times; Riley Hoesly took 2nd place with a personal best 29.50. Amalia Morrison swam a 32.76 (which, when converted to the standard yards time of 29.58, meant that she broke her "half-a-minute" goal!). Kristina Foley finished with a best time of 34.24. Freshman Alexis Elgin and Abby Ryan nearly tied in the JV 50 Free, taking 2nd and 3rd, respectively, with personal best times.
In the 100 Free, Danika Doll took 2nd with a personal best time of 1:10.39, as well as Amalia Morrison's best time of 1:14.85. Abby Ryan finished her JV 100 Free with a best time.
Megan Chapman easily won the 400 Free with a best time of 4:49.35 followed by 2nd place Delaney Lynch's best-time 5:01.17.
Freshman Amelia Geib took 1st in the 100 back with a best time of 1:14.27. Riley Hoesly finished 2nd and Piper Faber finished 4th with her season best time of 1:21.79.
MNG took 2nd and 3rd in an exciting 200 IM with Anna Zentner 's best time of 2:38.54 and Amelia Geib's 2:48.99.
Delaney Lynch took 2nd in the 100 Fly with a best time of 1:11.42, while teammate Anna Zentner finished 3rd with a 1:13.64.
Maggie Piper swam a tight race finishing 2nd, with Brinlee Chapman finishing 4th in the Varsity 100 Breast, both swimmers with best times.
MNG's relay team of Anna Zentner, Megan Chapman, Delaney Lynch, and Riley Hoesly took 2nd by less than 0.5 seconds in the 200 Free Relay, but then won the 400 Free Relay during the last event of the night. The 400-free relay team of Kristina Foley, Danika Doll, Amalia Morrison, and Maggie Piper took 3rd.
MNG anticipated a loss to Sauk Prairie. In a sport where fractions of a second matter, every point scored also mattered. Monroe-New Glarus won the Varsity dual with a final score of 89 to 79!
The Monroe-New Glarus co-op, coined the "Lady Cheese Knights," next travel to Baraboo and McFarland to wrap up their conference meets for the season.
We wish to extend a thank you to all parents, fans, and community members who contributed to such a memorable evening.
