Piranhas gain experience before swim meet

PLAINS - Rachel and Jake Cremer are hard at work getting the Piranhas Swim Team ready for the first meet of the season.

The new coaches were putting the team through drills on Monday in anticipation of the home meet in Plains this weekend.

The Cremer’s credentials as coaches speak for themselves. Both competed at the collegiate level and Rachel has coached competitive swimming in the past.

As the younger members of the Piranhas warmed up in the pool, the older athletes did push-ups and sit-ups. The coaches had the younger team members swim laps with the aid of flotation boards as well as small fin-like appendages on their feet.

After the youngsters had done a few laps of the freestyle stroke, the coaches consolidated them into fewer lanes, making room for the older athletes.

Some of the more experienced swimmers were immediately given workout instructions and eagerly began to swim laps.

Jake Cremer said they have a young and relatively inexperienced team this year but he was eager to see what they can do this weekend.

“We’ve had a few practices. Everything is going good so far. There are some experienced swimmers on the team that just need a little stroke work. There are a lot of inexperienced swimmers that will require more work,” said Cremer.

The team will compete this weekend at the EL Johnson Memorial Swim Pool Park.