R’Side swim team starts gearing up for meets

Riverside swim’s team starts up this year with meets right away. The team had their first meet, and are feeling good about their progress.
“I think a few of our swimmers are going to make a run for provincials this year,” said Mr. Grant Colegate, the swim team’s new teacher sponsor.
The swim team meets every Monday and Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am for practices at the C.C.A.C. (City Centre Aquatic Complex); however, many students have yet to make it to practice due to commitments to club teams such as Poco Marlins Summer Club, Canadian Dolphins and Simon Fraser Aquatics. But as long as students are swimming, it’s good for the team.
Riverside also welcomes a new swim coach, Mrs. Sandra Mason, a teacher at Heritage Woods. She has never coached Riverside before, and has joined the team for this season. She was a swimmer herself through high school and was a part of UBC’s swim team, and is thrilled to be working alongside Colegate with this team.
The team’s first district swim meet had great results as both relay teams made top three positions and five individual swimmers made top five placements.
“It’s really cool to go to the meets and cheer for everyone during their race,” said grade 10 student, Taylor Pettyjohn, a member of the swim team. “A lot of swimmers haven’t come to practice because it collides with their other club practices, so this is the first time that most of us were there together.”
Last year the team had great success, even breaking a provincial record at the championships. This year, students hope to repeat this feat and take home a trophy once again.
“I’d like to see a few of us make it to the provincial championship, hopefully with a relay team as well,” said Colegate, “Swimming is really competitive; it’s incredibly hard, and so if we could get a few swimmers there I’d be really impressed.”
The team will be attending three meets this year including district and provincial championships before winter break.