Contributed by Angie Abdou
Elk Valley Dolphins Swim Club
As the fall swim season winds down, the Elk Valley Dolphins hosted an in-house fun meet for over 70 swimmers ranging from eight to 16 years old.
In an unusual blending, first-time competitors got to race at the same event with provincial qualifiers. Every single swimmer on the team had the chance to share their joy of swimming as less experienced swimmers learned from seasoned veterans.
The priority of the event was to give newer racers the experience of an actual competition before the team heads into the holiday season. Nearly all the swimmers in the younger groups, Pups and Green Pod, had never attended a real swim meet.
Thanks to volunteer parents acting as timers and starters, this event had the exact feel of an officially sanctioned competition.
Junior coaches – Kiera Hansen, Olivia Howse, and Grace Hayden – did an excellent job of corralling the young athletes, getting them to the blocks on time, and ensuring they were prepared to do their best performances. Nonstop smiles proved that the meet was a true success.
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Green Pod coach Lucy Jacks was also very pleased with her swimmers’ performances – putting in lots of best time right alongside lots of laughs. Jacks looks forward to some of these swimmers moving up a group in the new year and most of them getting the opportunity to travel to an officially sanctioned meet.
“The meet yesterday showed a lot of improvements from all swimmers,” says Head Coach Frank Comerford. “It also showed the coaching staff where swimmers need additional improvement.”
Red and Blue Pod swimmers from the Elk Valley Dolphins will get a chance to execute those improvements at an upcoming meet in Calgary at Repsol Centre Dec. 17 to 19.
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