Chilliwack’s Spartan Swim Club will be sending five athletes off to post-secondary schools this fall.
Haley Klenk, a six year member of the Spartans, will head east to begin law studies at the University of Toronto. During her time in Chilliwack, Klenk has turned into a swimmer capable of competing at the senior national level. At her next stop she will train under coach Byron MacDonald, one of Canada’s most decorated university coaches and the current coach of 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Kylie Massie.
Klenk will have access to a top-tier Olympic-sized pool, training, recovery and competition space while swimming for the Varsity Blues.
Logan Sparkes is also heading east, accepting a scholarship to swim for the Dalhousie Tigers.
Located in Nova Scotia and established way back in 1808, Dalhousie is one of Canada’s oldest universities and home to one of the world’s leading marine biology labs.
Sparkes, who specializes in distance freestyle, can’t wait to get his new journey started on the other side of the country.
“I am excited to continue my swimming career with the Tigers and pursue a path in the Bachelor of Science program,” the teenager said.
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Two Spartans are staying closer to home.
Myles Wheeler has accepted swimming and academic scholarships at the University of Calgary while Mervin Jerodico finalizes the details of a scholarship at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Wheeler joins a Dinos crew that has won 15 all-time U-Sports men’s titles. The team is guided by 2019 U-Sports Coach of the Year Mike Blondal and finished third overall at the most recent nationals.
In the classroom, Wheeler will challenge himself in the Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology Honours program, taking advantage of the university’s state-of-the-art labs, lecture halls and learning techniques. He hopes to continue on to med-school and one day become an anesthesiologist.
Jerodico will start in general studies at the U of A and provide a boost to the Golden Bears swim team as a top-notch breaststroker.
One Spartan is heading south of the border.
Sheigh Gaudette has earned a scholarship with the University of New Mexico where she will specialize in the breaststroke and try to qualify for Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championships.
She will study kinesiology.
“We have been fortunate enough to have all these great swimmers, including others not mentioned move through our program at the same time,” said Spartans coach Justin Daly. “As a coach it has been very rewarding to see these athletes develop in our system and move onto post-secondary programs. Knowing the kind of work they have all put in, it is nice to see these kids be rewarded.
“I am confident they will all be successful in their new swimming and schooling opportunities.”
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eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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