Chiappetta adds PPD senior team to her coaching array
Rolling Meadows varsity boys and girls swimming coach Monika Chiappetta was already keeping busy coaching the sports she loves.
She's about to get busier.
In addition to her high school duties and a private coaching business, she's added responsibilities within the Palatine Park District program, joining head coach Tony Gallagher with the team's senior swimmers, effective immediately.
"PPD has a huge, long history of awesomeness when it comes to swimming, and a great relationship with the Mid-Suburban League," said Chiappetta. "Tony's doing a great job with the program, building it back up, and I'm thrilled to be able to help in any way with that.
"I'm a huge proponent of the MSL - no matter what school."
Chiappetta plans to remain head coach at Rolling Meadows, where she's been stationed the past 17 years. And she will continuing to provide instruction to the 70-some clients who benefit from her private direction.
"In the big-picture sense, I love teaching swimming, and learning swimming," she said. "For me, this is kind of a way to pay it forward. I know I can help out, so I'm going to help out."
To matters more closely at hand: Rolling Meadows's boys team is very much looking forward to its dual meet at Buffalo Grove on Friday.
In addition to getting a competitive meet from the Bison, the Mustangs are hopeful they can make a few dents on the pool record board at BG, and perhaps set a team record in the 200 free relay. Only a handful of high school boys meets have been held in Buffalo Grove's terrific newly overhauled facility.
"We always use the dual that falls on this weekend as one of our goal meets, because it's at about the midway point of the season," said Chiappetta. "So I think all our guys are really looking forward to the opportunity to meet some of those goals."
Other MSL meets Friday include Prospect at Elk Grove and Hersey at Wheeling, while in the West, it's Schaumburg at Fremd, Conant at Palatine and Barrington at Hoffman Estates.
Did you know? With just two exceptions, swimmers from the Mid-Suburban East have provided the top MSL performances in individual events this season.
Part of that is due to presence of Elk Grove senior Colin Williams, who has the top efforts in four events - the 200 free (1:47.43), the 100 free (49.16), the 50 free (22.36) and the 100 fly (52.27).
Other top guns to date include Rolling Meadows senior Jake Barson in the 100 breast (1:00.53) and Hersey freshman Michael Petro in the 200 IM (1:59.62).
Barrington has both of the top efforts originating from teams in the MSL West. Gavars has been 4:46.34 in the 500 free, and Colin O'Leary has been 53.41 in the 100 backstroke.
Looking ahead: In the MSL's divisional races, the meets of Jan. 23 will be key in deciding the outcomes.
Fremd will compete at Palatine; both are unbeaten against West Division foes so far.
On the same date, Rolling Meadows will travel to Prospect; both squads are perfect in the MSL East.
The final week of the dual season also has several key matchups. On Jan. 30 in the East, it's Prospect at Wheeling and Hersey at Rolling Meadows, and in the West it's Palatine at Barrington.