In addition to the main event in the Stealey Invitational, where swimmers can compete up to the age of 18, there's also a Masters race for those over 18. If any area swimmer deserves the title of Master swimmer, it's Catherine "Splash" Williams.
Williams, age 76, estimates the inception of the invitational at 1963. She's only missed one year of its running, and that was because her son was getting married on the same day.
"There's just something about it," she said. "It carries over from one generation to the next. It's a big tradition. I've see children of my own children's age grow up swimming in it."
Both Williams' son and daughter had children participating in this year's invitational, the 37th by her count.
When recounting what the beginning years of the invitational were like, Williams says it was both the same and different.
"All the teams camped out on the hillside, like they're doing now," she said. "But we didn't have a roof on the main house, so when it rained, we all got wet."
Williams indicates how long she's been a swimmer by holding her hand at about knee-level. She's been in the Masters race for 21 years.
"It's a great sport, and it's good exercise," she said. "As long as I can swim, I'll continue to do this."
Swimming is a big part of the Galey family. Rebecca, age 8; Patrick, age 11; Hannah, age 13 and Sarah, age 15 all competed in this year's Stealey Invitational for the Clarksburg Country Club. They all fared quite well.
Between the four, there were five first-place finishes.
Hannah had three and tied for first in points in the 13-14 age group with 35. She won the 50- and 200-meter freestyle races with times of 29.06 seconds and 2 minutes, 20.5 seconds, respectively. She also took the 100 fly race in 1:15.41.
Sarah won the 50-meter breast stroke in 40.83 seconds and tied for first in the 100-meter breast stroke in 1:29.19 seconds.
Patrick won the 100-meter fly in 1:44.15 and finished third in the 100-meter individual medley, 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter freestyle.
Rebecca had a second place finish in the 25-meter freestyle and three third place finishes in the 50-meter fly, 50-meter back stroke and 50-meter freestyle. She finished second in the 7-8 age bracket with 17 points.
"I can't say enough about the Galey kids," Clarksburg coach Louie Nardelli said. "They come to practice every day. They work hard. They're great kids and great swimmers."
They help the team out as well, he said.
"With four kids, they bring a ton of points every time," Nardelli said. "I call them 'money.'"
Sarah, the oldest, seems to be the leader of the four and also a leader for the team, he said.
The biggest contributor in their success is that in an age when parents push their kids to compete in athletic activities, the Galeys' parents let them choose their sports, Nardelli said.
"That's what made these four what they are today," he said.
