When Amy Dunay was hired three years ago to be aquatics director at the Mon Valley YMCA, she saw another possible opportunity.
It was an opportunity she had one other time that did not come to fruition.
When she was a student at Slippery Rock University, she wanted to have an Allegheny Mountain YMCA Masters Swimming Association team at the YMCA.
It never happened there, but not only has Dunay restarted one at the Mon Valley YMCA, it is flourishing.
“When I started here three years ago, I started the team back up,” Dunay said of the once-successful program. “We are happy to already have three banners hanging.
“We are a small team, but we are making our team known for sure.”
The women's team won consecutive Division 3 titles in 2012-13 and 2013-14, and the men's team brought home the 2013-14 championship.
Both women's teams consisted of Ashley Krieg, Marcy Sarber and Dunay. The men were represented by Rick Weslager, Richard Dick and Ed Bishop.
All return this year, and will be joined by Elsie Reeby, Maureen Patton, Kelly Yurkovich, Dodie Beerbower and Dave Cris.
Spots still remain available for interested swimmers.
“We are always accepting new swimmers, even throughout the swim year,” Dunay said.
Any Mon Valley YMCA member 18 or older can compete. The four competitive swim strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and the butterfly.
There have only been two events so far. The season run through April's Allegheny Mountain YMCA Masters Swim Association championships at a new state-of-the-art facility in Geneva, Ohio.
“The meets are on Sundays at different local YMCAs,” Dunay said. “Each swimmer practices on their own, as there are not set practices.”
Bill Hughes is a freelance writer.
