The Yorkton Speed Swim Club has just returned from the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Meadow Lake, says coach Tonia Vermette.
The Parkland Valley swimming team has combined for a total of 14 medals.
As of the weekend the team as a whole was listed with seven golds (five from the swimming team), three silver medals and eight bronze medals.
Vermette said the experience they had in Meadow Lake was nothing short of fantastic and the Games brought their fair share of intense moments.
One of which was when Kelsey Haczkewicz completed the preliminary round seated in fifth place.
That put her into the finals' race as a clear underdog.
According to Vermette, she thrived on that.
"After the preliminary, she (Haczkewicz) was seated in fifth. It was a 'loud' experience."
Haczkewicz went on to a first place finish in the 11-12 year old girls 50 metre freestyle.
Before the end of the 2012 Games, Haczkewicz added a few more medallions to her total count once the Games had ended.
"She stole a lot of medals," joked Vermette. "It was very exciting."
Haczkewicz also brought home top-3 finishes in the 50 metre backstroke (silver medal) and bronze medals in each of the 50 metre backstroke, 200 metre breastroke, and the 200 metre medley relay.
Her final time in the 50 metre freestyle race was 33.11 seconds, saidVermette.
Sister Jennifer Haczkewicz enjoyed the most success of the Parkland Valley swim team, bringing home four gold medals and one bronze medal.
Says Vermette, there was no surprise there.
"We expect great things out of Jennifer Haczkewicz."
She brought home gold in the 200 metre freestyle, 100 metre fly, 200 metre backstroke, 400 metre freestyle.
Her bronze medal came in the 200 metre medley relay event.
Jayden Lang brought home one silver medal and one bronze.
Her silver placing was in the 50 metre breastroke and the bronze came in the 400 metre medley relay.
Vermette said that Paige Shyiak (two bronze medals) has just completed her first year of competition and also impressed to the point that she had a pair of podium finishes.
Shyiak had a interestingly familiar situation as Kelsey Haczkewicz did, says Vermette.
Both girls were seated in fifth place going into their final race, and also like Haczkewicz, she made a trip to the podium, too.
They included a bronze in the 100 metre breastroke, and a second bronze in the 400 metre medley relay.
"It was excellent," reports Vermette of the Games experience.
"It was an energy-charged competition."
She said the Athletes Village was awesome that the Games were "sometimes really intense.
The Parkland Valley Summer Games team included Kelsey Haczkewicz, Jayden Lang, Paige Shyiak, Alex Flaman, Auston Roberts, Trevor Baker (manager), Emma Just, Jillian Just, Jennifer Haczkewicz, Jacob Baker, Tonia Vermette and Mary Pringle.
