DIDSBURY - The Didsbury Aquajets summer swim team is back in the water for another season. The team has about 40 swimmers in the club this year from ages six to 17.
Returning as head coach of the Aquajets is Cecilia Wessels along with assistants Leah Peterson and Jen Jardine.
Monika Rosenke, club president, said the club started practices on May 1 and attended their first meet a few weeks later in Cochrane. The junior swimmers practise three times a week at the Didsbury pool, while the seniors go up to five times a week.
"Our numbers are up from last year," said Rosenke. "So far the season is going pretty well. We've had one meet so far on May 26. We came home with a lot of best times, which is what we hope for. Beating your time from last year is always a good thing. It's not always about the placings."
The Aquajets had 27 swimmers at the Cochrane meet.
Results from the Cochrane Piranhas swim meet: Reuben Maennchen, 5th place Boys 11-12 50 Metre short fly Time: 1:08.30; Piper Lundeen - 5th place Girls 9-10 100 Metre Long Free Time: 1:37.49; Zac Jardine - 3rd place Boys 9-10 100 Metre Long Free Time: 1:42.63, and 2nd place Boys 9-10 25 Metre Short Back Time: 20.94. Girls 9-10 100 Metre Free Relay Team: 6th place Time: 1:26.84 for Piper Lundeen, Maiya Rosenke, Keira Reinhardt and Kira Quashie.
Girls 12 and under 200 Metre Free Relay Team: 8th place Time: 3:14.75: Daniella King, Hilary Pawluk, Lexi Jardine and Autumn Bates-Gardiner; Bailey Dombowsky - 8th place Girls 7-8 50 Metre Long Back Time: 1:17.90; Piper Lundeen - 6th place Girls 9-10 50 Metre Long Back Time: 52.41; Keira Reinhardt - 8th place Girls 9-10 50 Metre Long Back Time: 55.28; Autumn Bates-Gardiner - 6th place Girls 11-12 100 Metre Long Back Time: 2:01.52; Mataia Jelinek - 7th place Girls 13-14 100 Metre Long Back Time: 1:50.68; Madelyn Pasloske - 8th place Girls 13-14 100 Metre Long Back Time: 2:16.20; Lexi Jardine - 7th place Girls 11-12 100 Metre Short I.M Time: 1:53.45; Brielle Smith - 7th place Girls 6&U 25 Metre Short Free Time: 51:03
The Aquajets have a short but very busy season. Up next for the swimmers is a meet in High River next weekend followed by a meet in Okotoks on June 22 and 23. The team hosts its own meet at the Didsbury Aquatic Centre on July 7.
"Our own home meet is one we really look forward to doing," said Rosenke. "We've invited seven clubs so we're hoping we have close to 200 kids show up. We're mixing long distance with regular meets at our meet this year.
"The swimmers that like to do the longer races, they need to get qualifying times for regionals, which is in August. So we're hoping to have more, longer events so they can get their times in before August."
Rosenke said the club focuses on having fun and improvement for the swimmers.
"Because it's summer you don't have the time a winter club has for training," she said. "We do have a few fairly competitive swimmers on our team. We tell everyone that if you beat your old time then you're doing good. It's not about beating the next person. It's about improving your own goals and achieving them."
Rosenke said being on the team is also a great way to meet people and make friends and be part of a team atmosphere.
"The team environment at a meet is great," she said. "You're all in your own area. Everyone cheers each other on. You make lifelong friends. Only a swimmer really understands what a swimmer goes through. They boost each other up and cheer each other on. It's a real good atmosphere for kids.
"Even though it's not a team sport per se, unless you're on relay, but you learn that you're there for everyone. We're looking forward to seeing how the kids do at these next few meets."
