Murphy – A rite of summer that’s returned to pools all over the country has also returned to the Murphy Health & Fitness. After a year off due to COVID-19, the Cherokee County Aquatic Club once again has a team this summer.
The team competes in the Mountain Swim League, with most meets taking place on Thursdays – except for the conference championship and All-Star meet, with the former being held July 17 and the latter coming up this Saturday. Only nine kids are competing this year, down from 20 two summers ago.
But to coach Frank Bachteler, it’s just good to be back on deck.
“I think the kids that are here are really enjoying it,” he said. “I’m excited about it.”
Having a team this summer is the first time competitive swimming has been in the county since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dome wasn’t put up over the poll last year, and Bachteler wasn’t able to find pool space in neighboring counties in both North Carolina and Georgia. Paying for pool time remains a challenge, though he said the club got help from the owner of Murphy Health & Fitness to make sure the team could practice this summer.
Since swimming is usually more of an individualized sport than a team sport, Bachteler emphasizes personal improvement over place. If a swimmer drops time, that’s considered a success.
“I believe in continuous improvement,” he said. “So if you’re swimming a minute flat for your 100 and you go 59.8 and finish in sixth, I still think you’re a winner because you beat your time. And that’s how I base most of my training, is to put them in the position where they can beat their time.”
Bachteler hopes the fitness center will put up a dome again this winter, though he isn’t sure of the date. He previously thought it would go up in the fall, but is hearing the beginning of 2022. He said there are talks for a permanent structure over the pool like in Highlands, which has a glass roof that can be opened during the summer months.
That would help keep kids in the water for most of the year and possibly lead to a year-round team in Cherokee County, which hasn’t had one since 2016. This would help swimmers get more time in the pool and help acclimate them to what Bachteler sees as a long process to become a competitive swimmer.
“It takes three years to become a competitive swimmer,” he said. “Both to develop your skill base and to develop what the mental attitude is.”
Cherokee County Aquatic Club Results
The Cherokee County Aquatic Club swam in its fourth meet of the season in the Mountain Swim League on July 8 in Highlands. The following local swimmers had top-10 finishes:
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Conner Mann in the 9-10 age group placed third in the 50 breaststroke, fifth in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 50 backstroke and 100 freestyle.
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Adria Donohue in the 11-12 age group placed third in the 50 backstroke and sixth in the 50 freestyle.
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Emmylou Venerable in the 13-14 age group placed second in the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.
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Ariana Rivas in the 13-14 age group placed first in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke.
- Jack Dockery in the 13-14 age group finished seventh in the 50 freestyle and eighth in the 100 freestyle.
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Miletzy Rivas in the 15-18 age group placed first in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
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Marley Craig in the 15-18 age group placed second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 50 freestyle.
The Cherokee County Aquatic Club’s third meet was on July 1 in Franklin. The following swimmers had top-10 finishes:
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Craig (15-18), sixth in 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
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Dockery (13-14), 10th in 100 freestyle.
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Donohue (11-12), sixth in 50 butterfly, 10th in 50 backstroke.
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Mann (9-10), second in 50 breaststroke, sixth in 50 freestyle, ninth in 50 backstroke.
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A. Rivas (13-14), first in 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly.
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M. Rivas (15-18), first in 100 backstroke.
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Venable (13-14), seventh in 100 backstroke, 10th in 50 freestyle.