As coach Mike Schneiderlochner takes over for his first year in charge of the Montour Spartans swim team, he is looking to build on the work the previous coach – Emily McCleary – did while moving the team on up.
One of the ways this is happening is the girls team advancing from WPIAL Class AA to AAA competition.
“This is our first year for swimming moving from AA to AAA, especially with the girls side,” Schneiderlochner said. “So we’re working on that transition right now. Then at WPIALs, the boys will still swim AA, but the girls will swim AAA.
“It’s going to be an interesting year for us because we’ll be swimming against teams that are twice the size of the ones that we used to.”
Schneiderlochner has stepped in for McCleary, who was away on maternity leave but could return as an assistant this year. Schneiderlochner said it’s likely the two will swap positions next year, with McCleary returning to the head coaching spot.
“So I’m kind of holding her place right now,” Schneiderlochner said.
The Spartans coach spoke excitedly about the talents that the girls team has going into this challenge in his first year. First on the list is one of the team captains and its best performer – junior Anastasia Ulintz, who has qualified for the WPIAL championships in the 100-yard butterfly, the 200 free and the 500 free.
Schneiderlochner also praised fellow captain and classmate Elly Sleva. “She’s a great swimmer,” he said of Sleva.
On the boys side of things, Schneiderlochner pointed to Joseph Stahurski as a captain and a standout who’s qualified for the boys Class AA 100 butterfly.
“He’s done very well so far,” Schneiderlochner said.
Also serving as a captain for the boys team is senior Nick Tomic.
The new coach is wary of what lies ahead but thinks that with the talents he has his Spartan swimmers can take on all challenges.
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