Parents, siblings and fans of the Newark Bluefin Swim Team grabbed their winter rain coats, rubber boots, ponchos and umbrellas and headed to San Leandro High School’s pool for the first meet of the season. 

Rain plummeted, canopies flew and steam arose from the water, but that didn’t stop more than 122 parents, grandparents and siblings from gathering to begin the season of competition, of laughter, brutal workouts, commitment and comradeship and love for the sport of swimming.

The Newark Bluefin Swim Team is a group of swimmers between the ages of ages 5 and 17.

During their first meet on Saturday, they dove in head first, donning their Bluefin spirit wear and beginning at 6:45 a.m. The competition against the San Leandro Drowning Daryls continued until 1 p.m.

Here is a breakdown of how the team did:

• The Bluefin swimmers ages 9-10 boys, Joshua Tsai, Joey Duenas, Johan Reyes and Emmanuel Ngbemeneh broke the free relay record set in the year 2000. 
• The 11-12 boys, Giovanni Lu, Kyle Alcosiba, Jacob Crosby and Jonathan Mui also started the season by breaking the Medley Relay record set in the year 2007.
• And Bluefin girl swimmers Allison Garrett, Victoria Gerome and Emily Loaisiga received the maximum points by winning all three individual events plus their relay.  

The final score for the meet was San Leandro 585, Newark Bluefins 453.

During every Friday practice before a swim meet, the Bluefin coaches pull the Bluefin family out of the pool to honor swimmers who have been working diligently and have positive attitudes.  They receive a Big Tuna and are awarded with a special shirt that they proudly wear for the rest of the season. 

This week’s Big Tuna awards this week went to Ashley Haba, Evan Haba, Max Lurye, Diego Rosales and James Souza.

Jack Sparrow beware, scantily clad pirates will be lurking about Newark Memorial High's pool at the next swim meet on Friday. The meet will start at 5 p.m. Come one and come all to see a showdown of the Newark Bluefins versus the Glenmoor Stingrays.