THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 8, 1995 TAG: 9512070153
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
Beach District high schools are finally into the swim of things.
Literally.
After a season of club team competition, the first official varsity swim season began last Friday with six of the district's 10 teams in competition.
The rest get started today.
Because of a shortage of lane space in area recreation center pools, teams will have byes throughout the season.
The Great Neck Recreation Center pool is currently closed for repairs and when it is completed, the Bayside pool will close for the same reasons. As if that isn't limiting enough, teams usually only get three lanes for four-day-a-week practice sessions.
``It does make it kind of crowded,'' said Cox boys and girls assistant coach Mikki Dean. ``We've got us, First Colonial, Princess Anne and Bayside at the Bayside pool right now, and when Great Neck opens, we'll all go there.
``We don't get much water time, but we're making it work.''
Swimming does have certain advantages similar to sports like gymnastics, golf and tennis that other sports don't have - many of the athletes compete with private club teams like ODAC, TAC, TCAC.
The private club kids will help their respective prep teams in many ways - lending advice and possibly practicing with their club teams in an effort to make more space and time available for their high school teammates.
But the main thing here is that local kids are finally in the water - freestyling, backstroking, butterflying and relaying.
It's about time, too, as our water-surrounded area is a natural for such a sport. Summer swim leagues have long been a way of life at area community pools and the private club teams have been churning out college scholarship-level swimmers left and right.
Eastern District schools have had swimming for several years and now they'll have teams to compete against. On Feb. 16 and 17, there will be a region meet at Princess Anne Recreation Center. A state meet can't be far off.
So swimming is finally here, and those in the water couldn't be happier. by CNB