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Orangeville Otters represented at national level competition

January 9, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Written By Brian Lockhart

The Orangeville Otters Swim Club is celebrating a major milestone as head coach Sam Kuntz has been selected as an assistant coach for Team Ontario.

This is the second time Kuntz has been selected for the team, recognizing his leadership, professionalism, and growing impact at the provincial and national level.

Coach Kuntz served on Team Ontario’s coaching staff at the 2025 Ken Demchuk International Invitational – a national para-swimming competition held at the Markham Pan Am Centre on Nov. 28 to 30.

The event brought together Canada’s top para athletes in a high-performance environment focused on excellence, development, and national standards.

The Otters were also represented by two athletes who were selected to compete for Team Ontario.

Austin Nelissen, 14, and Alyssa Smyth, 15, competed at the event.

Austin competed in the S10 classification, earning two silver medals, setting multiple personal bests, and gaining valuable experience racing against the country’s top athletes. His performances contributed to Team Ontario in both individual and relay events.

Alyssa competed in the S13 classification. She captured six gold medals and scored over 900 para points in four events.

The medals highlighted her versatility and consistency across multiple strokes.

Following the competition, both athletes participated in a national development camp. This allowed them to train alongside peers from across Canada, engaging in both pool and classroom-based high-performance learning.  

These achievements reflect the Orangeville Otters Swim Club’s continued commitment to athlete development, leadership, and excellence, as well as its growing presence within Ontario and Canada’s competitive swimming community.

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