April 2017 (2) Candygrams

Saturday, April 8, 2017---37th Annual Swim with Mike

Trojan Candy arrived at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center by 10:00 a.m. to shop at the "Treasure Chest" and to register for Swim with Mike. I don't swim but chose the option to walk around the pool. Did I ever do a lot of walking!

My first stop was the "Silent Auction" area.

I saw USC Swim Coach Dave Salo and USC Board of Counselors Member Jerry Anderson checking out the items.

Trojan Candy looked at this Will Farrell autographed Cow Bell.

Two passes to sit in Lynn Swann's 50 yard Coliseum suite.

Two bottles of Swim with Mike wine.

Trojan Candy walked the length of the pool to the diving boards. There I saw friend Tory Ishimatsu (9/6/2011), whom I met when Jim and I were volunteering at Heritage Hall. Tory has been a volunteer Assistant Coach for the Women of Troy Dive team for four years now. It is so nice to see her every year at Swim with Mike!

While I was walking on the north side of the pool, I saw Ron Orr with a friend.

My friend Phillip Ribeiro comes down from Northern California for every Swim with Mike event. Trojan Candy met Phillip when I was volunteering at Heritage Hall.

Here are some swimmers in the pool doing their laps.

The Wienerschnitzel mascot gave out coupons to participants.

Next, I walked back to the diving boards. Here are four "Biggest Splash" contestants.

Here is a "Biggest Splash" belly flop!

This video shows a USC Song Girl doing a belly flop. David Freedman was the announcer.

At the stage, Trojan Candy tried to take a picture of the Song Girl who did the dive. I was told that she went to go change. So I took this picture of the other Song Girls.

Back at the diving boards, I took this picture of announcer David Freedman (in front) with the judges. He is an IT Director at Sony Pictures.

David posed with Rohan who was crowned the winner of the "Biggest Splash" contest.

Under the diving board were two friends, Mike and Lois Valerio.

Trojan Candy was still on the move. Now it was time for the formal ceremony. I spoke with USC alumnus and Olympian John Naber. He posed beautifully for this picture.

John McGillen (5/3/2014) was the official Photographer.

Spirit of Troy conductor Ben Chua (8/30/2013) had his camera ready.

USCTrojans.com writer Dan Weber (3/24/2010) walked by.

John Naber started the Swim with Mike ceremony.

Song Girls, Spirit Leaders, and Spirit of Troy

This video shows the USC Song Girls and Spirit Leaders performing as the Spirit of Troy played "Fight On" in the stands.

Trojan Candy took pictures of the USC Spirit Leaders Team.

More Spirit Leaders.

Next, I took pictures of the dignitaries on the stage.

Mike Nyeholt smiled with a scholarship recipient Jennifer McCallson.

The other scholarship recipient Shane Mosko, Jennifer McCallson, Becky Gramstrup, and Patrick Stanton all smiled for Trojan Candy.

Friend Becky Gramstrup presented Patrick with the "Claire Snow Volunteer of the Year Award" named after her mother.

Now, it was time for the Football Player/Song Girl Relay. Trojan Candy managed to be right in the middle of the action.

I took friend Chris Tilbey's (4/10/2016) picture first.

A football player (?) gets ready for the relay with a Song Girl.

Song Girl Laura cheers for the start of the relay.

My football locker and friend Reid Budrovich (8/22/2015) was paired with Song Girl Jaclyn.

Jackson Boyer and a Song Girl smiled for me.

In the last lane, Marvell Tell III was ready for action.

Here is a video of the relay.

This is a group picture of the Song Girls and football players.

Trojan Candy turned to her right and there was Coach Clay Helton. As I have said before, he always smiles for me!

As the football players got out of the pool Trojan Candy took as many pictures as she could. Vavae Malepeai (1/29/2017) and Ykili Ross smiled for me.

Jordan Austin, James Toland IV, Steven Mitchell, Josh Imatorbhebhe, and Richard Hagestad

Five football players---Jordan Austin, James Toland IV, Steven Mitchell, Josh Imatorbhebhe (2/3/2016), and Richard Hagestad---squeezed into this picture.

Velus Jones Jr., Tyler Petite, and Malik Dorton

Velus Jones Jr. (1/29/2017), Tyler Petite, and Malik Dorton posed for me.

As Trojan Candy turned to her left, I saw a familiar face. Uchenna Nwosu let me take his picture.

Three football players---Reid Budrovich, Wyatt Schmidt, and Chris Tilbey---enjoyed watching the diving action while resting on pool tubes.

Several football players climbed the tower and dived in.

This video shows some of the players having fun jumping off the boards.

As Trojan Candy was walking out of the stadium to the lunch area, I saw two very familiar faces. Michael Hutchings and Chris Hawkins smiled for me once again.

My last picture of the Swim with Mike was of friends Monica Morita and James Toland IV.

What an exciting day of exercising, seeing friends and taking pictures!