Last year, the Athens Academy swim team, coached by Coach Tracey Hill, took six swimmers to state: three sophomores and three seniors. Even though they only had a couple of swimmers, they placed 7th.
Now, half of those six have graduated, and they are led by a new coach, Savana Thompson. Thompson is the new middle school art teacher and an avid swimmer. Despite losing three seniors, the team is still very optimistic about this season.
Junior Kartik Menke says, “My favorite part of the team is practice because our team spirit is great.” While being on a small team has disadvantages, it helps the team become a tighter community.
Luke Rutledge, a sophomore freestyler, said, “Mrs. Thompson is very organized, and it keeps our practices running smoothly.” To improve in swimming, organization and being deliberate in practice is essential. Time in the pool translates to time off of your races.
“Anyone is welcome to join the team! We always seek new members because every person makes the team stronger!” sophomore Ella Dillon declared. Dillon was one of the three freshmen who went to swim at the state last year. Athens Academy has many excellent swimmers, but a lot of the time they struggle to win meets because of the small size of the team. If you want to join a team aspiring to win a state championship, join the swim team.
Even though the swim team does not compete on campus, the meets are exciting, and I encourage all of you to go out and support them on their journey back to state. The new era of Athens Academy swim is only beginning.
