The winter sport, indoor swimming, just started with a total of 40 students. Coaches Andy Smearman and Michelle Holton, both staff of the school district, coach this high school swim team.
Preparing for competitions throughout the season, the swim team trains every weekday after school and occasionally on Saturdays. Swim meets take place every Monday and Wednesday. Swimmers traveled to Somerset on Monday, Dec. 10. And the girls’ team brought home a win and the boys’ a loss.
The winter sport officially formed Nov. 18. Indoor swim team accepted 20 boys and 20 girls. Out of the 40 swimmers, three boys and four girls are ninth graders.
“I wanted to try a new sport and I like swimming,” Montana Feathers said.
As the year heads into winter, the temperature drops. Students start to pile on the jackets, gloves and thick knitted hats. As some search for winter clothing to keep themselves warm, the indoor swim team breaks out their swimsuits, goggles and swim caps for this winter sport. The team requires the girls to wear maroon one piece bathing suits. And the boys wear striped swim shorts. A student described them as uncomfortable.
When school ends for the day, students that participate in swimming makes their way to the high school pool for their practices. They warm up with 200 (meter/ 8 laps) swim, 200 kick and 200 pull. Regular practices also includes swimming a mile. The techniques assigned by the coaches target the limbs. Swim athletes train until released at 5:15 p.m..
After the first 22 days of indoor swimming, their first swim meet approached on Dec.10. This meet took placed in Somerset. Somerset is located approximately an hour and 12 minutes away. Once at the scene, the team worked out to get ready for the meet. Then, before beginning, coaches Smearman and Holton provided a prep talk. And they handed over the information on the occasion consisting of orders of events and assigning swimmers to events.
“I do relays, 200 medley relays, 100 meters and 400 freestyles,” Feathers said.
In some events, the girls team performed actions that disqualified them. If they swim the wrong stroke or touch the bottom of the pool, referees disqualify the whole team. One of the girls team did not touch all of the walls resulting in losing their event.
“ Next time we’ll just practice harder, swim well and not get disqualified,” Leah Dreibelbis said.
But at the end of the day girls indoor swimming gathered a total 87; Somerset girls received 83 points. On the other hand boys indoor swimming ended up with 77 points, losing to Somerset. Somerset boys received 92 points.
