The West Hartford Aquatic Team (WHAT) has achieved great success in its 10-year history.

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Back in September 2007, Katie and Rob Riccobon made a decision to form WHAT Swimming. Their humble beginnings started with 20 swimmers and one coach at the Bruyette Natatorium located on the campus of the University of Saint Joseph.

Today, WHAT Swimming has more than 140 swimmers, nine coaches on staff, and trains at USJ and Miss Porter’s pool in Farmington.

The philosophy of WHAT Swimming is to provide each athlete with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential through a nationally recognized program that teaches and trains all levels of swimmers, emphasizing individual progress, team unity and family support.

WHAT Swimming is currently ranked 198th out of 2,400 swim teams in the United States Swimming Virtual Club Championship Poll. WHAT is ranked second in Connecticut and has the highest ranking of any swim team in the Hartford County or Farmington Valley area.

This past Sunday, WHAT Swimming was honored with a number of awards at the Annual Connecticut Swimming Top 16 Banquet held at the Aqua Turf.

• 41 WHAT swimmers invited
• 2 Team High Point Awards
• 13 Connecticut Records
• 8 National Top 10 Times
• 8 Connecticut Scholar Athletes
• 2 Individual High Point Awards
• 2 Distance High Point Awards

The WHAT swimmers honored with an invitation to the Top 16 Banquet were: Jaee Raut, Victoria Layden, Ruthie Riccobon, Molly Nordquist, Ved Bathula, Caroline Gray, Taylor  Demarest, Lucy Benoit, Nicholas Menendez, Charles Perks, Mikel Palaj, Owen Brown, Kate Bell, Emma  Nordquist, Amber Rocheleau, Sophie Rodner, Marissa Chow, Kyle Brown, Jake Nelson, Ethan Brown, Will Layden, Colton Litwinczyk, Kayla Brown, Abigail Thrall, Michael Baldini, John Gallant, Nicole King, Brian Berry, Cassandra Apuzzo, Victoria Apuzzo, Daniel Butler, Connor Dainiak, Katelin  Isakoff, Maggie Mancini, Griffin McGowan, Erika Nguyen, Sydney Perks, Katharine Pillion, Sarah Preleski, and Drew Spero.

WHAT Swimming had eight Connecticut Scholar Athletes which is the most of any team in the Hartford County and Farmington Valley area. WHAT swimmers receiving this prestigious honor were: Michael Baldini, Kayla Brown, Bailey Edgren, John Gallant, Katelin Isakoff, Nicole King, Sydney Perks, and Abigail Thrall.

To be eligible to be a scholar athlete a swimmer must be in 10th, 11th or 12th grade, have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5, and have swum at the 2016 Long Course Championships, the 2016-2017 Short Course Senior Championships, or two regular meets in the 2016 Long Course Season and three regular season meets in the 2016-2017 Long Course Season.

“WHAT Swimming is a family. When the team started in September of 2007, Katie and I knew the foundation of the program would be treating every swimmer and parent like they were a member of our own family. Over the past 10 years, we continue to build on that very foundation and we are fortunate to be surrounded by loving and caring individuals,” said head coach Rob Riccobon. “The WHAT coaching staff understands WHAT Swimming develops the individual first and the by-product is a productive member of their community and an outstanding swimmer.”

To follow WHAT Swimming or for more information, please log onto www.whatswim.org.

WHAT Swimming Connecticut Scholar Athletes. Submitted photo