OLDS — Members of the Olds Rapids Swim Club are happy to be back in the pool again.
Their final six-week session before the summer break began on Monday, March 22, a few of weeks after the Olds Aquatic Centre re-opened, having been closed for months, due to COVID pandemic protocols.
Tamara Johnson, the club’s public relations coordinator, was pleased to see the kids get back in the pool. She described the opportunity as “a big relief for our club.”
The past year has been a tumultuous one for the Rapids. A year ago, they had to vacate the pool when initial COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began.
They managed to do some online training over the summer but it just wasn’t the same.
Then there was a complete change in coaching staff as head coach Cecilia Wessels departed as her daughter, Cheye-Anne went to compete for a team in Red Deer. They now have a new head coach, Madeline Fedora and assistant coach, Keira MacKenzie.
Throughout the past season, the club held no practices at all and online training never really happened.
However, now, Johnson is looking forward to the future -- assuming swimming is allowed in the fall.
“We are happy to finish out with a little time in the water and we look forward to what we hope will be a stronger season next year,” she wrote in an email.
