8-year-old Seth Robinson of the Kaiserslautern Kingfish looks he has half the pool draining off him during the boys 12-under 100-meter breaststroke Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League’s Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
LIGNANO SABBIADORO, Italy – Rae Colgan made the trip down from Vilseck, Germany, with her mom as the sole representative of the SeaVipers at the European Forces Swim League’s Long Distance Championships.
Even if the 13-year-old’s whole team had qualified for the event, though, it still wouldn’t have matched the 54 swimmers the Kaiserslautern Kingfish sent to the event.
The Naples Tiger Sharks had just less than half that number with 26 entrants. But they did lead the event in a few things: sets of twins and the most siblings entered at five.
Many of the 18 teams entered feature the dependents of American active-duty military personnel stationed around Europe. But some are mostly made up of NATO allies.
There was one obvious commonality, though: These kids like to spend time in the pool.
“It’s the place where I feel the most comfortable,” said Colgan, who also swims for a German team off base.
She wasn’t feeling alone. Her mother, Erin, was in the stands.
“And I have friends on other teams,” she said.
The eighth-grader will have some more options for sports in high school next year. For now, though, she’s not interested.
“I’m sticking with swimming,” she said.
10-year-old Adeline Pierre-Louis of the Kaiserslautern Kingfish swims in the butterfly portion of the girls 10-under 200-meter individual medley Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League’s Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Jacob Cruz, left, and Rota's Thomas Thrun almost look like they're synchronized swimming during the backstroke portion of the boys 11-19 400-meter individual medley race Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Arman Sonumut of the NATO Marlins swims in the boys 11-19 400-meter individual medley Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. The 15-year-old had the fastest time in the event. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Cesar Ona of the Brunssum Orcas swims the butterfly portion of the boys 11-19 400-meter individual medley race Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
13-year-old Rae Colgan of the Vilseck-Grafenwoehr SeaVipers creates a wave during a heat of the girls 13-19 200-meter breaststroke Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy.. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Others are already involved in other sports as well. Seven-year-old twins Charlie and Henry Cornwell practice swimming three times a week. They play soccer on base two other days. So do 10-year-old brother Jack and 12-year-old twin sisters Sydney and Olivia. The older twins also play volleyball.
Somehow, Rachel Cornwell also finds time to coach the team. And, yes, she’s heard the jokes about the family having their own basketball team.
“It’s a lot,” she said. “But it’s also fun.”
Neither Charlie or Henry said they were told they had to be competitive swimmers. And they list different reasons why they enjoy it.
“When you win, you get a duckie,” Charlie said.
“We get to travel more (than soccer),” Henry said.
Travel is something else that just about everyone has in common. The host team, the Aviano Sea Dragons, is based about an hour away from the Bella Italia Village complex that is hosting the event. The Vicenza Aqua Lions are about twice that far. Other teams had much longer drives or flew.
10-year-old Raylon Benton of the Kaiserslautern Kingfish won the boys 10-under 200-meter individual medley race at the European Forces Swim League’s Long Distance Championships on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern Kingfish Joscelin Tarpen, above, and Brunnsum Orcas' Benthe de Beer cross each other's paths during the mixed 19-under 800-meter freestyle event at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
13-year-old Kaylee Gibson of the Kaiserslautern Kingfish was fastest in her age division in the girls 13-19 200-meter breaststroke Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Jazlyn Symak swam the anchor leg for the Stuttgart Piranhas in the mixed 13-19 400-meter medley relay Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath Barracuda Jason Dalope swims in the final heat of the boys 13-19 200-meter breaststroke Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
The Brunssum Orcas and head coach Peter Wetzels were among those who arrived by air. Wetzels first started coaching in the league in 1988 when it was composed of teams from the Benelux and many competitions were against German teams.
Wetzels said he’s seen a lot of changes. But a lot hasn’t as well.
“The kids are still the same,” he said. “They learn sportsmanship and all get along. Adults could get learn a few things from them. We have kids from so many countries around Europe now.
“I don’t care about nationalities. I love them all.”
Participants and their supporters spent much of the day Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, competing and watching the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships at the Bella Italia Village swimming complex in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Competitors in the fastest heat of the girls 12-under 100-meter breaststroke dive towards the pool Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Turn official Michelle Saksa watches Anika Tarpen touch the wall Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Jill Jennings holds down a lap marker for her older brother Jake during the mixed 19-under 800-meter freestyle race Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. The elder Jennings sibling was the fastest finisher in 21 heats. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
More than 300 kids from across Europe competed Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in the first day of the European Forces Swim League's Long Distance Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
