Conference Title Highlights North Central Association for the Blind Championship
By Ryne Turke
Batting schools from multiple states, Illinois School for the Visually Impaired etched its name into the record books with dazzling performances from both the swim and forensics teams.
ISVI hosted the North Central Association of Schools for the Blind swim championships for the second straight year. The event, held at Illinois College, marked the largest in conference history, featuring 10 official teams and two exhibition squads. ISVI claimed the combined team championship with 311 points, finishing ahead of Missouri and Tennessee.
The boys team delivered a dominant display of swimming, winning the conference title with 214 points and sweeping all three relay events: the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. Individually, Peyton Teel placed second in the 500 freestyle, while Kavuntae Lewiel added a third-place finish. Ryker Sanderson placed third in the 200 individual medley and second in the 100 backstroke, as the team added depth with multiple top-four finishes across events.
On the girls side, despite a roster of just two swimmers, ISVI placed fourth overall and medaled in every event entered. Lexie Mitchell captured first place in the 50 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Alaska McDowell added a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, along with third-place finishes in the 200 and 100 freestyle.
Coach Mackenzie Strong said the team’s steady growth defined the season.
“I’m incredibly proud of how much this group improved from the start of the season to now,” Strong shares. “We had swimmers come in with different experience levels, and they committed to learning, trusting the process and pushing themselves every day. Some swimmers learned brand new strokes, while others really honed in on their strengths — whether that was sprinting or distance events — and truly shined in races that fit them best. What stood out most was how they supported each other and bought into the idea that everyone’s effort mattered.”
Coach Michael Foster emphasized the long-term impact of the program.
“We have several swimmers on the team who had never swam competitively up until just a few months ago, and now I can tell that they are really enjoying it and will hopefully be on the team for years to come,” Foster says. “I hope that they hold on to swimming as something they can do all their lives, even deep into old age.”
Foster also described the range of emotions following the meet.
“We have a few veterans on the team who were pretty stoic about the whole thing, even though there is no way we’d have the success that we did without them,” he shares. “And then there were some new swimmers who we made sure understood the impact they had, in terms of the points they scored during the meet, and it was cool to see how excited they got by that.”
For the athletes, the experience marked a high point in an unforgettable season.
“This was my fifth year attending and I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Lexie Mitchell says. “It was a really fun and exciting experience. There was a lot of energy, and it felt great to be part of something where everyone was working hard and supporting each other. I was happy to represent my school and be part of the team. Wearing our school’s name and competing alongside my teammates made me feel connected to something bigger than just my own race. It pushed me to give my best and represent us well.”
Teammate Darrin McKeag summed it up simply.
“It was a blast,” he says.
His favorite part?
“Winning.”
While the swim team made headlines in the pool, ISVI’s forensics team was making noise in its own arena. Coached by Dana Fricke, the team competed in a tournament against schools from Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa and South Dakota.
Alaska McDowell and Nikole Brown highlighted the results with a fifth-place finish in duo interpretation, performing “I Am Not A Bully” by Ken Bradbury, and earning strong individual round scores. McDowell also placed fourth overall in impromptu speaking, showcasing quick thinking and adaptability.
Noah Kano earned fifth overall in humorous prose, including a first-place finish in one round, while Brown added a fourth-place finish in delivering speeches. In poetry, Nevaeh Shores placed fourth overall, earning top finishes in individual rounds. Ryker Sanderson added a pair of sixth-place finishes in both poetry and prose, continuing his strong all-around week across multiple activities.
Fricke said the team’s impact extends far beyond competition.
“Students showed clear improvement in confidence, delivery, interpretation, and connection with their material across each round,” Fricke says. “Forensics builds real-world skills: public speaking, critical thinking, creativity, time management, and the ability to think on your feet. These are skills that carry far beyond competition and into college, careers and everyday life.”
She also praised the group as a whole.
“These are all fantastic kids on and off the court,” Fricke exclaims. “I am so incredibly proud of the hard work, resilience, and progress this team demonstrated throughout the season. I am honored to be a part of ISVI and their coach.”
ISVI athletic director Ken Mansell said the success across both programs reflects the school’s broader mission.
“I’m excited and very proud of all our students and their coaches,” Mansell says. “Most of our students come to ISVI having never participated in athletics. Our coaches work hard with the students to not only improve their skills but their self-confidence as well.”
The swim meet also reflected the continued growth of the conference, expanding from 55 swimmers last year to 85 this season, a sign of increasing participation and opportunity.
While the competitive season has concluded, Strong said the program is far from finished.
“We have our upcoming awards ceremony to celebrate everything this group accomplished, and we’ll also enjoy a team dinner to recognize the hard work and memories from this season,” Strong says. “Looking ahead, next year will begin with the IHSA girls season, followed by the IHSA boys season, and then we will begin our official co-ed NCASB season in March. We’re excited to build on everything this team achieved and keep the momentum going.”
