fritz Camp
MaC Boys Swim Relay team
mel FoX
of by her teammates and the older swimmers too. At the training in
Colorado Springs, Thaden says she noticed that Wiita brought the
Amateur Athlete of the Year Award Nominees same qualities she displays at MAC. “She was the center of that team
in terms of making others feel included and happy,” Thaden says.
Continued from page 20
to advance to a more competitive category, but he still had trouble
Dougal williams
reaching the front of the pack.
Dougal Williams realized his goal of earning a spot on the
As he gained experience and cycling-specific strength, Polonsky
USTA’s 35-plus team and competing at the International Tennis
improved. He learned to position himself better throughout races.
Federation’s World Team Championships, which were held in
After failing to break into the top 10 at any of the weekly 30-mile
Majorca, Spain, in April 2009.
PIR races in 2008, he made that a goal for 2009. Of the roughly 40
Based on his play at several national tournaments, Williams
or so riders in his category at any given race – 60 riders if it’s a nice
compiled the points required by the USTA, who asked him to be a
evening – Polonsky finished in the top 10 at six races in 2009, even
member of a four-player U.S. team to compete in Spain. Williams
finishing second once.
finished first in the 30-and-over age group in both singles and
Always up for a new challenge, Polonsky has also worn his MAC
doubles at the national grass court championships, which were
jersey while racing at Alpenrose Velodrome. The variety of races
held in Philadelphia, and he finished first in singles at the Babolat
and the banked track take some getting used to, but Polonsky is
World Tennis Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. At the national clay
not lacking the determination to succeed at something new.
court championships, held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., he finished third
In addition to his Ironman Decathlon successes, Polonsky and
in singles and second in doubles.
teammate Darroll Batke won this year’s MAC Team Decathlon.
At the ITF world championships, or the Italia Cup as the 35-and-
Polonsky also plays handball at the club.
over age group is referred to specifically, the U.S. began by defeating
elli wiita
Switzerland and Lithuania. The countries play two singles matches
and a doubles match to determine a winner. The U.S. team then
Elli Wiita earned the No. 2 ranking at USA Synchro’s national lost to France and Sweden before defeating Argentina to finish in
team trials for the 11- and 12-year-old age group in August 2009. seventh place. Williams went 2-2 in singles competition and 2-0 in
With this she was named to the 11-12 national team and partici- doubles, compiling the most individual wins for the U.S.
pated in a training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in “Everything was amazing,” Williams says, “from the colorful
Colorado Springs. MAC Head Synchro Coach Julie Thaden says international parade that opened the tournament to the wonderful
that Wiita did not miss any of the training sessions, which were as setting of Majorca. It was a whole new world of competition,” he
long as six hours in the pool and two hours of land training daily. says. Many national tournaments come down to roughly the same
Though this was twice the amount of training Wiita is accustomed group of players at the final stages. The competition in Majorca
to, she wasn’t phased. presented an extra challenge.
“Elli is beyond her years in maturity,” Thaden says. “She keeps a Williams is ranked No. 15 in the world by ITF in the 35-and-
positive attitude always and has an amazing work ethic.” over age group. He is currently ranked No. 3 in singles for the
Wiita compiled a long list of other accomplishments, she swam 35-and-over category by the USTA. He hopes to earn the points
up an age group, competing with MAC’s 13-15 trio. The trio won necessary to compete in the Italia Cup again next year, when it’s
first place in four separate state and regional events. In those events held outside Mexico City. Williams has also proudly served as
Wiita also placed first in figures and solo competitions at the 11-12 captain of MAC’s 5.0 USTA team for several years.
level and at U.S. Age Group Championships, Wiita placed fourth
in figures and fifth in solo for the 11-12 level.
mary wuillouD
In addition to her natural talent, Wiita also brings a great spirit
Mary Wuilloud has always made room in her schedule for
and commitment to the teams she competes with. She is a positive
exercise. “Two hours of cardio every day, religiously,” she says of
and genuinely sweet person, Thaden says, and by putting in extra
her routine. When she participated in the club’s Winter Blitz Fit
hours of training outside of practice, Wiita has earned the respect
competition last year, she was worried that the event’s scorekeepers
22 | The Wınged M | january 2010
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