Piranhas prepare for season
PLAINS – The Piranhas swim team of Plains is ready to start their season off on the right foot as they head to their first meet in Hamilton this weekend.
With temperatures staying consistently warm and the El Johnson Memorial Pool Park officially open for the summer, the Piranhas have been able to get in a solid amount of practice before the opening meet of the eight-week swim season.
According to president of the swim team TaLoni Dubois, the team is made up of youths from age four to sixteen, with the Piranhas totaling 24 competitors.
The vast majority of the team, roughly 20, have competed with the Piranhas before and will bring their experience from past seasons to the team this year.
The team does have one notable new face, as this year’s head coach Kayla Hoar takes over the duties of running the team for the first time.
Hoar is looking forward to the start of the season and noted the practices of the year have gone well.
The coach added the practices are directed towards what the swimmers are most comfortable with, in addition to time spent on freestyle swimming, which makes up a large portion of the summer swim meets.
“Practices are on each swimmers basis, but we do spend the most time on freestyle swimming,” Hoar said.
In the upcoming meets of the two-month season, the Piranhas will take part in a number of different events as they travel to pool facilities across western Montana.
Swimmers take part in 50 and 100-meter races in a variety of strokes, including freestyle, backstroke and butterfly events.
Most meets also incorporate a 400-meter freestyle event, part of the reason the Piranhas devote extra time to perfect this stroke during their pre-season practice sessions.
The rookie coach noted following the first few practices of the season the team is starting to get used to being in the pool again.
“Everybody is looking good. The team is getting comfortable being back in the pool and they are getting their swimming legs back,” Hoar said.
The early year practices are critical for every season following the long off-season, where the majority of the swim team members are pursuing athletic events on dry ground.
Though the Piranhas will spend Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 on the road in Hamilton, they will return to Plains for a swim meet next weekend.
The first official day of summer, Saturday, June 21, will also serve as the first day of the annual swim meet at the pool park.
The first day of the competition will feature a number of preliminary events, where swimmers will compete for a chance to participate in the finals.
The finals will be held the following day on Sunday, June 22.
The away swim meet this weekend will give the Piranhas an excellent opportunity to gear up for their home meet.
When next weekend rolls around, the Piranhas should be in great form to compete at their home pool, while preparing for the upcoming weeks of the season.