Saturday, January 20, 2024
A TRIFECTA
Children enjoy a trifecta of sorts: snow, no school and it’s Friday, while sledding in Morrison Park yesterday. | photo by JACK BOYCE
Shelbyville Senior Swimmers Celebrated
Shelbyville High School senior swimmers Andrew Duffy, Miriam Garringer and Will Rife, pictured above on a display, are recognized at Thursday’s meet. | photo by ISABELLA MATNEY
The Shelbyville High School swimming and diving team isn’t done yet, but Thursday’s meet was an opportunity to honor three seniors before their final competitions, including sectionals in February.
Andrew Duffy, Miriam Garringer and Will Rife have become an integral part of Coach Coen Weiler’s Golden Bear and Shelby County Aquatics Club (SCAC) teams and, in turn, personal life.
“Getting to know these three over the last seven-plus years has been an awesome experience,” Weiler said. “The laughs, tears, celebrations, disappointments, successes and failures have been worth it every time. As a group, my favorite has been watching them interact with my own children.”
The time-consuming sport naturally pulls athletes together. Practices start at 6:15 a.m. four days a week, in addition to after-school practice; then there’s Saturday morning practice. The intensity has even led to some humorous moments for the seniors, such as when Weiler once ended a weight room lecture by noting he could do box jumps better than they were doing them. He then fell off the box. Another “great” fall noted by the seniors was just last week, when Weiler fell off the diving board, completely clothed, while coaching. The team gave him high ratings for his forward dive.
Surrounding those daily memories are the actual competitions.
Rife was known for getting right to business. In his sophomore season, he was second favorite to win an event behind a foreign exchange student. But he pulled off the upset victory.
“His win isn’t even the most memorable part though,” Weiler said. “His calm demeanor and just pure confidence right before I'll never forget. He just sat there with not a single look of doubt on his face.”
Duffy became more interested in swimming as the years progressed. One time, hours of practice on the breaststroke culminated in a successful race. Afterwards, Duffy confided to his coach he had made the connection.
“To see him flourishing and really growing into a true love for swimming since has been awesome,” Weiler said.
Garringer started young, swimming in her grandparents’ outdoor pool and later taking lessons at the city pool to learn the various strokes. In fourth grade, she joined SCAC, and later the Shelbyville Middle School team.
“I was already playing soccer and running track in sixth grade, and I didn't have a winter sport to keep me occupied throughout the cold months, so I began to swim to stay active and keep in shape for my other sports,” Garringer, whose sophomore sister, Naomi, is also on the team, said. “Eventually swimming became my main sport, and I was swimming during my soccer and track seasons to stay in shape for swimming.”
There have been many highlights since. She was part of a relay team that broke a record her freshman year, the same year her 200 relay team went to state.
There have also been the inevitable challenges. Weiler remembers giving Garringer the “no one is perfect” speech after one frustrating practice.
“Miriam then passed along that she viewed many adults, myself included, as perfect,” he said. “This was very flattering, but in that moment it gave me a true look into how high of a standard she holds herself.”
Meets and goals remain for this year’s seniors, such as winning sectionals and placing in state competition, but to Weiler, they’ve already accomplished the most important objective.
“They've all worked so hard, and I truly believe they've all become the best version of themselves they could be,” he said.
BELOW: Shelbyville High School seniors and their parents are recognized at Thursday’s Senior Night. L to R: April, Will and Brady Rife; Dr. Katherine, Miriam and Dr. Sean Garringer; and Elizabeth, Andrew and Joseph Duffy. | submitted
NOTEBOOK:
Theft was reported in the 1400 block of Preidt Lane, Shelbyville.
NATIONAL NEWS: Helium gas is a nonrenewable resource at this point, obtained as a byproduct of natural gas extraction from pockets underground. The United States uses about 40 million cubic meters of helium per year, about 30 percent of it going into MRI machines, 20 percent of it going toward other scientific and engineering needs, 9 percent used in welding and 9 percent going to fiber optics and semiconductors. Other than those primary industrial purposes, only 17 percent of helium is actually used in balloons and blimps. (The Converstaion / Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: A semi traveling in Shelby County I-74 overturned, busting many bottles of the 46,000 pounds of beer in the trailer.
2004: Former Bush administration budget director and Indiana gubernatorial candidate Mitch Daniels visited Shelbyville. Despite prompting, Daniels would not commit to whether or not he supported the Indiana Downs project. He did support Bush’s proposed legislation regarding illegal aliens. “We have to face up to reality and try to bring some degree of control to our borders, but also preserve the uniquely American slant of being a magnet for people with dreams,” he said. Daniels was scheduled to return in late January to speak at the Lincoln Day Dinner.
1994: Jack’s Pizza, 118 S. Harrison St., closed. The restaurant, at the corner of Broadway and Harrison, was owned by Gary Barger. Building owner Fred Endris said Shelbyville resident Jackie Burton planned to open Jackie’s New and Used Furniture in the location.
1984: Temperatures in the single digits didn’t stop Det. Dennis Alyea and reserve officer Jim Haltom from using rocks to break ice in the Flat Rock River to retrieve a 1971 Yahama frame and tool box, items presumed stolen and dumped.
Domino’s Pizza, 360 E. Broadway, celebrated its grand opening by giving away free samples of pizza and drinks.
1974: Shelbyville native and former local practicing attorney Wilbur F. Pell Jr. spoke at the annual Shelby County Chamber of Commerce meeting. Warren Brown served as master of ceremonies. Carlos Craven was organization president. Pell was a Shelbyville High School and Harvard University graduate. He and his wife, Mary Lane (Chase), were the parents of Wilbur F. Pell III and Charles Pell.
1964: Mace Groceries of Anderson announced plans to open in March in the new Shelby Plaza Shopping Center on West State Road 44. The one-story sandstone and glass structure would have over 8,000 square feet. The first building erected by local developer Gene McColley at the location was for United Cleaning and Laundry, managed by Alice White.
A Shelbyville News photo showed an animal weighing 25 pounds that had been hit and killed by a car. The animal had been declared a bobcat by a conservation officer. After the picture ran, calls started coming in saying the “bobcat” was actually the pet cat of Maurice Patterson of the Freeport area. Mrs. Patterson called in saying the same.
1954: Mr. and Mrs. French Williams opened “French’s” restaurant and soda bar in Fairland. The building, at Main and Walnut, also housed barber Harry Higgins.
Paul Sirkus opened a men’s dress footwear department at his store, 34 Public Square. Sirkus had opened a women’s shoe store in the Goodman-Jester Department Store in 1937, later expanding to Paul’s Shoes in 1947.
1944: An inspirational mock radio program on behalf of the War Loan Drive was held during a convocation period at the junior high school. Following singing of the national anthem by the entire group and “commercials” and “station identification” by Ree Jean Dow, Marilyn Rinehart and Carolyn Brattain, Sheila Richeson acted as mistress of ceremonies for the forum. Those leading the discussions were Gene Graebe, Glenydon Clayton, Mary Breedlow, Lois Perkins, Donna Yager and Charlotte Kroggel. Sponsors for the program were Ralph Stuart, Ola Billman and F.J. Shull.
Accompanied by their principals, Charles Borchers, H.B. Kysar and Wray Orem, students of Major, Hendricks and Colescott schools who were about to enter junior high school visited the junior high school building for a tour.
1934: First Baptist Church sponsored an Old Melodies Concert, with entertainment consisting of solos and ensembles by members dressed in colonial costumes.
Three Shelby County men were indicted by a grand jury for using explosives in state waters to dynamite fish.
1924: Payment was made on the first installment of the new electric elevator, to be installed in the William S. Major Hospital.
1914: A “sanitary barber shop” was opened in the basement of the Alhambra building by Thomas Smith. “Everything in the new parlor is in white and absolutely sanitary,” The Republican said. Equipment consisted of a large towel sterilizer, an electric massage and electric hair dryer. The shop had three hydraulic chairs.
Two 17-year-old boys caught smoking were given a lecture by the mayor, and told a second offense would get them a trip to Plainfield.
OBITUARIES
None today