Blue Ayuyus, Winkfield recognized

The CNMI Men’s National Team and Saipan Swim Club coach Jacoby Winkfield shared the spotlight with the Commonwealth’s top athletes for 2014 during the NMSA Annual Sports Banquet held last night at the Seaside Hall of Kanoa Resort.

The Blue Ayuyus were named Team of the Year for their historic feat in the Preliminary Round 1 of the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup held in Guam last year, while Winkfield took the Coach of the Year plum for mentoring the team that represented the CNMI to the 2014 Micronesian Games in Pohnpei and the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25M) in Doha, Qatar.

The Blue Ayuyus scored a 2-1victory against Macau in the EAFF-sanctioned competition for their first win in an international event. The team was composed of Nick Swaim and Kirk Schuler, who scored the two goals for the Blue Ayuyus, Johann Noetzel, Ethan Dickinson, Trey Dunn, Joe Miler, John Taisacan, Jonathan Takano, Jireh Yobech, Joel Fruit, Daniel Agulto, Sean Perez, Ruselle Zapanta, Jehn Joyner, Kennedy Izuka, Lucas Knecht, Bo Barry, and Dae Won Jeon. Kiyoshi Sekiguchi coached the squad and was assisted by Taketomo Suzuki and Hon Kit Cheng.

Kiyoshi, Fruit, Dunn, Joyner, and Izuka were present to receive the award on behalf of the Blue Ayuyus.

“We’re so excited to receive this award, which motivates us to work harder the next time we compete for the CNMI. This award is worth all the hard work and dedication we put during our preparation for the tournament,” Dunn said.

Meanwhile, Winkfield received his award in the presence of his sister, Tamiko, parents Bob and Debbie, wife Kathy, and daughter Amethyst. Winkfield is the second member of the family to get recognition from NMSA as Tamiko was named Female Athlete of the Year in 2002.

“I am honored to get this recognition (Coach of the Year) because I had gone full circle as I also won the Student Athlete of the Year award before,” the Marianas High School teacher said.

Winkfield thanked this family, especially his wife for the support and sacrifices and shares the award to the supportive parents of every swimmer he coached. He also mentioned the help of Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation, SSC and its officers, and the swimmers for their dedication to the sport.

“This award is not all about me, but all the people who work together to keep the swim program in the CNMI strong,” he added.

Winkfield coached young swimmers Victoria Chentsova, Christian Villacrusis, Takumi Sugie, and Kento Akimaru in the Micro Games and the team brought home three gold medals and a bronze. The SSC head coach also mentored Chentsova, Sugie, and Villacrusis in the FINA event where the three CNMI swimmers earned personal best times.

Before the two international competitions, Winkfield took several SSC swimmers to Hawaii to compete in the Big Island Age Group Swimming Championships. The team recorded a couple of Top 5 finishes in Hawaii.

Although he encouraged his swimmers to aim for best times, Winkfield put more emphasis in character-building and sportsmanship than speed, according to the article Northern Marianas Sports Association president Michael White read before calling the name of the Coach of the Year awardee.