Evan hasn’t looked back since. He now trains upwards of 24 hours a week and swims competitively for the University of Guelph Gryphons swim team. In fact, he’s been chosen team MVP for the last three years running. InAugust, Evan and the Canadian men’s 4x100 freestyle relay placed 8th at the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, beating out both the American and the Australian teams. “Our goal was a Top 8 finish and we got it,” says Evan, who’s now setting his sights on competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. “Swimming is great for building character,” he says. “I’ve realized that what I put my mind to, and work hard for, I can achieve. It’s re- ally honed my work ethic.” Even so, Evan is quick to point out that swimming is almost always a team sport. “You learn so much from your coaches, your teammates and ev- eryone you meet along the way,” he
says. “People say swimming is an individual sport, but it’s really not. The people around you are an im- portant part of it.”
While there’s no question Evan’s family has been foundational to his success, Evan also credits the people of Tillsonburg for spurring him on- ward. “I feel such a connection to the people here,” he says. “I still come home almost every weekend. It’s al- ways going to be my home.” Evan was especially moved by the way the community rallied around him this summer. “I opened the newspaper after the Pan Am Games and couldn’t believe how many ads there were from local businesses, congratulating me,” he recalls. “That was really special. You don’t get that kind of support just anywhere.”
Tillsonburg Mayor Stephen Molnar com- pares hardware with Evan during a special recognition night at the Lake Lisgar Water- park on August 26. Evan was presented with a souvenir town flag, framed certificate and Town of Tillsonburg hat.
SOUTHWESTERN AQUATICS You CAN Learn to race with
“If you can swim, we can teach you to race.” That’s the motto of Southwestern Aquatics (SWA) , and judging by the number of national- level swimmers they’ve turned out lately, it seems they’re more than ca- pable of delivering on that promise. “We had five swimmers go to the Canadian Age Group Champion- ships this year,” says SWA Coach Roman Ramirez. “They came back with five medals and finished ten races in the Top 10. It’s amazing. I’m really proud of everyone.” Coach Ramirez is himself an ac-
complished athlete. He’s been coaching for 25 years and competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics for Mexico. Former SWA member Annaleise Carr has certainly done her part to help put Tillsonburg area swimmers on the map. In August 2012, she became the young- est person to swim across Lake Ontario. Just 14 years old at the time, Carr’s mar- athon swim raised more than $200,000 for Camp Trillium. “SWA lets kids participate in a sport that focuses on individual goals and performance, as well as team strength and spirit,” says Ramirez. “No matter
what your ability level, we can help you become stronger and more con- fident.” SWA was created from the 2002 merger of the Tillsonburg Aquatic Torpedoes and the Woodstock Pira- nas. The club trains in both Tillson- burg and Woodstock. Visit www.swaswimming.ca to find out how you can get involved.
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