Courtesy of Elle Meinholz
For the first time-ever, Madison Aquatic Club (MAC), won both the Wisconsin 12&Under and Senior State Championships. Founded in 2015 by Shane and Carly (Piper) Ryan and Janis Katz, MAC’s program is only four-years old and this past state meet was only their third time competing in the winter State Meet.
Since its inception, MAC has focused on always putting themselves in a position to be competitive, and it’s evident. At the last two WI Winter State Championships (2017, 2018) MAC took second at both the 12&Under and Senior Meets. Going into this year’s championship season, MAC knew they were contenders. The 12&Under team fought hard all weekend long and came out on top by a mere 25 points. The Senior team surprised everyone taking the meet by 1,300 points, after getting second by 1,500 points in 2018. Team chemistry and parent support were unmatched throughout both meets, making these victories truly a team effort.
“Winning State is a great accomplishment for our athletes and coaching staff. These victories were a total team effort and the result of the commitment from our athletes, staff, and parents. We have worked very hard for this achievement and are proud of what we were able to do this season. This is just the start of what we want to accomplish and where we want to go,” said MAC Head Coach Shane Ryan.
MAC, one of very few coach-owned programs in WI, has had a lot of success in a short period of time. In addition to their excellent team results over the last four years, the team has also produced State Champions, State Record Holders, National Finalists, Olympic Trial Qualifiers, and a National Record Holder. MAC credits this success to hard work, belief, and passion.
“We try really hard to provide a good experience for our team members and focus on the details in and out of the water. As a staff we all take ownership. We demand greatness from one another and what stands out is our commitment to being the best we can, while having fun. Our swimmers have built this program through their hard work and dedication. Others have taken notice and wanted to be a part of it. Our team is like a family,” said Ryan.
There has been a lot of well-deserved celebration since the state meets, but now the team is setting new goals and expecting a higher standard. Moving forward, there is still a lot MAC looks to accomplish.
“Our goal is to continue to develop and support our athletes to help them be the best they can be. We want to continue preparing our swimmers for college swimming. We also want to be competitive at the National Level. However, the swimmers will determine what heights we will reach as a team. Our job, as coaches, is to challenge them, give them opportunities, and motivate them to be great, they have to do the rest.”
MAC would like to thank everyone that supports their team – We would not be where we are today without their belief in what we do. It has not been easy starting a team from scratch, but we have done it together. We define our own destiny and will continue to work as hard as we can to achieve greatness and make an impact in the sport. #WeAreMAC
