|
|
|
CARTHAGE, Mo. —
Friday night’s rain seemed to sprout a tent city overnight at the Carthage Municipal Pool, where hundreds of swimmers and their supporters turned out for the 2011 Carthage Aquatic Invitational Saturday, June 11.
The event officially started at 9 a.m., but swimmers said they had to be there by 8 a.m. Sometimes they arrive at meets as early as 7 a.m., and Hunter Thenikl lamented, “We have to get up at six.”
Thenikl, age 11 (as of next week, he said), was part of the Pittsburg, Kan., swim team. He and his older sister, Neka Thenikl, were hanging out in their tent with fellow team member Faith McClaskey and team booster Andrew Doughty while they waited for their events. Their tent – more of a pavilion, actually – was one of dozens right up near the pool, while dozens more spread out across the lawn across the street.
Meet organizers said there were 400 swimmers. Add to that families, little brothers and sisters, supporters and coaches, and the temporary tent city had a population of roughly 1,200 people, not to mention a few food vendors to keep the young athletes ready to compete.
The pavilions were full of lawn chairs with parents reading books or chatting, and swimmers relaxing or goofing around.
Meet announcer Jeremiah Jones commented that the weather was helping make for a good day.
“It’s going great with this weather,” he said. “This is perfect.”
Overcast skies kept the day cool enough that lolling in the tent felt good, but warm enough for the swimmers to enjoy being in the water.
In their shelter, McClaskey said, “It’s kind of calm in the morning. Everybody’s still in shock from getting up so early.”
Neka Thenikl added, “We’re supposed to be resting. Rest and stretch.”
With a snort, McClaskey said, “Nobody does that!”
In fact, members of the Monett swim team seemed to have more energy after their first event than before it.
Seven-year-old Olivia Janssen and her teammate 7-year-old Bridie Finch raced back to their pavilion after their first event, the 25-meter freestyle. As soon as they’d dropped off their towels, they headed for the nearby playground, leaving 10-year-old Harrison Finch to hang out with team dad Tony Finch.
Harrison Finch says his dad “made” him join the team, but admitted that he enjoys it.
And Tony Finch says swim meets are great family events.
Friday night’s rain seemed to sprout a tent city overnight at the Carthage Municipal Pool, where hundreds of swimmers and their supporters turned out for the 2011 Carthage Aquatic Invitational Saturday, June 11.
The event officially started at 9 a.m., but swimmers said they had to be there by 8 a.m. Sometimes they arrive at meets as early as 7 a.m., and Hunter Thenikl lamented, “We have to get up at six.”
Thenikl, age 11 (as of next week, he said), was part of the Pittsburg, Kan., swim team. He and his older sister, Neka Thenikl, were hanging out in their tent with fellow team member Faith McClaskey and team booster Andrew Doughty while they waited for their events. Their tent – more of a pavilion, actually – was one of dozens right up near the pool, while dozens more spread out across the lawn across the street.
Meet organizers said there were 400 swimmers. Add to that families, little brothers and sisters, supporters and coaches, and the temporary tent city had a population of roughly 1,200 people, not to mention a few food vendors to keep the young athletes ready to compete.
The pavilions were full of lawn chairs with parents reading books or chatting, and swimmers relaxing or goofing around.
Meet announcer Jeremiah Jones commented that the weather was helping make for a good day.
“It’s going great with this weather,” he said. “This is perfect.”
Overcast skies kept the day cool enough that lolling in the tent felt good, but warm enough for the swimmers to enjoy being in the water.
In their shelter, McClaskey said, “It’s kind of calm in the morning. Everybody’s still in shock from getting up so early.”
Neka Thenikl added, “We’re supposed to be resting. Rest and stretch.”
With a snort, McClaskey said, “Nobody does that!”
In fact, members of the Monett swim team seemed to have more energy after their first event than before it.
Seven-year-old Olivia Janssen and her teammate 7-year-old Bridie Finch raced back to their pavilion after their first event, the 25-meter freestyle. As soon as they’d dropped off their towels, they headed for the nearby playground, leaving 10-year-old Harrison Finch to hang out with team dad Tony Finch.
Harrison Finch says his dad “made” him join the team, but admitted that he enjoys it.
And Tony Finch says swim meets are great family events.
“It’s just good for fitness, gets them occupied during the [summer] holidays. It’s a good team sport, too, as well as an individual sport.”
While Bob Courtney, who describes himself as “just a dad,” says he always brings a book to entertain himself while hanging out at the tent, Tony Finch said, “When you’ve got three kids, you’re back and forth all the time. I’m busy.”
Courtney, with an older group of boys from Monett, said the parents are also involved with the meet. “The parents get to help officiate, keep time,” he said.
The sport of swimming keeps families busy throughout the summer, the dads said. The season for the Tri-State Aquatic Conference includes seven to eight meets, plus finals. The Carthage meet was the second in the season, following a meet in Parsons. Swimmers will attend the meet in Pittsburg next weekend.
But participants say the high cost of gas and motels may limit their season to some extent.
Courtney said the Monett team will be going to four events this year, although they went to all of the meets a couple of years ago. Monett is close enough to Carthage to make it a feasible one-day trip, but they will probably skip Parsons, Kan., and one of the other more far-flung locations. On the other side, he says he doesn’t expect those teams to travel to Branson.
Carthage Swim Coach Andy Youngworth said the numbers this year have been “way down.”
Kids can start swimming in the conference at age 6, so a drop in numbers this year doesn’t necessarily mean the beginning of a downward trend.
Several of the older swimmers say they have been competing for as long as they can remember.
“I started swimming when I was seven,” said Neka Thenikl. “My sister swam, so I think my parents just put me in it.” Naturally, her younger brother also joined the team.
McClaskey said, “I started swimming when I was really little.” She said she took the entire series of swim lessons, and then people urged her to join the swim team. “I said no, but obviously, I eventually joined,” she said.
