A day at districts!

Bobbi Jo Johnson

Barnesville Swim Team Head Coach

Dear swim family,

(I thought long and hard about how to write this week's article for the paper, would it be short and sweet telling who, what, where and when or long and complex with lots of details. I thought back 10 years ago when the "girls" made a trip to states and wrote about our experience. Well, this Districts had special meaning, so I decided that you needed to know what happens when athletics reach these levels. So here is how last Saturday played out.)

On Saturday morning, four senior girls, two senior boys, one sophomore and one freshman boarded a bus with six devoted swimmers and two tired coaches to travel to Columbus to the Ohio State McCorkle Center to swim in the OHSAA Swim Championships. The group had qualified with three individual swimmers swimming five individual events and four girls swimming three relays and four boys swimming two relays.

Jon Rockwell (assistant coach who we fondly call the stat-man) and I were thrilled that we had qualified that many swimmers. We had been snowed out of many practices and in general our times were slower than we needed; but all the swimmers had done a great job during sectionals and had made the "cut."

We arrived in Columbus around noon after having a large breakfast in Zanesville.

When we walked up to the OSU aquatic center, I could see that the eight swimmers were excited but somewhat nervous. The chatter was a little more than normal for these kids. All of them had been to the OSU pool before, but for the seniors I think it actually was more than they realized. For them this was it, their last swim!

Upon arriving, we found bleachers and friends from Bellaire, St. Clairsville, Martins Ferry and Cambridge as well as new friends from Edison. The warm-ups began at 1 p.m., so while Jon and I caught our breath, and attended a coaches meeting, the devoted parents and friends began to show up. Lime green swimming shirts were very easy to see, plus they are usually not the quietest group in the crowd. Plus one of our devoted swimmers dressed up in a "sham-man" costume! (another one of our swimmers changed into the costume later in the day). The swimmers really appreciated and enjoyed the efforts of Ashley and JC.

Also, we found OSU students, ex-Shamrock swimmers, OSU crew chief and Jon's daughter, Emily. Also, Bobby Schuerle came on deck to help with times. Before leaving home, I had text messages and e-mails from Eric Schwartz and Danielle Holskey Passmore (former swimmers never go away, they just wade away).

The first event was the girls 200 Medley. Katy Piersol, Bethany Clouse, Taylor Cameron and Brandi Bahmer would be swimming all three relays. I watched them as they nervously talked to Jon, put on their caps, sang the Star Spangled Banner and finally took the block. This group of girls has been together for four years and they were getting ready to swim their last meet together. I knew they wanted to do well. They did very well and finished with a 2:18.65. One event down and a two more to go.

I looked around and found the group talking and laughing while some parents were looking a little nervous. The next event was Christopher's 200 IM. We just watched as a friend from St. Johns had struggled with the 200 and other friends from St. Clairsville had done very well. Jon and I could tell that our freshman was tight. Christopher took the block and finished 12th with a 2:10.14 breaking his own school record.

Next was Brandi's 50 free. We had worried about Brandi and if her time would make the cut to Districts and happily it did. She was going to swim individually after much hard work outside our normal practices. Brandi's goal has always been a 27 and she had swum that time only a couple times. My hope was that on her last race she could swim a good time so that she would leave happy with her time and efforts. She did, swimming a 27.82, her best individual time ever.

Next was Hunter's 100 butterfly. This was Hunter's favorite stroke and I remember as a very young swimmer how bad his stroke had looked and how much time and effort he had given over the years to be able to swim it in District competition. Hunter entered the pool and came out by breaking his own school record and his personal best time of 57.33.

Now was the time we had all been waiting for -Christopher's 500. He was seeded 3rd and in our District if you finished in the top three you would be an "automatic" and have a trip to OHSAA State Swim Championships. Barnesville has had many great swimmers, Eric, Danny, Bobby, Shane and Aaron, but none had gotten close. We now had two boy divisions and we knew that this was an opportunity to finally get someone to Canton.

I looked up into the crowd and watched as his parents stood; sometime- quiet sometime loud. Christopher stepped up to the block, with Brandi at the other end with counting cards and Jon at the blocks watching the splits and having signals prepared for Brandi and me at the side of the pool, camera in hand and whistle ready to go. Christopher swam his best time, broke the school record and finished third with a time of 5:08.08 and qualified for States this Friday at Canton. We had a boy to states!

After celebrating and getting pictures of Christopher with his medal, it was time for the 200 free relays. Once again, Katy, Bethany, Taylor and Brandi went to the blocks. This time there was more giggling and talking. Taylor swam her best 50 ever with a 29.02 and Brandi had her best split ever, 27.52. With Katy and Bethany doing exactly what they needed to do and the girls finishing their last 200 free relay with a 2:18.65, I knew the last race for them was coming.

Next was the boy's 200 free relay; the team of Christopher Baker, Hunter Yevincy and Seniors Arick Swallie and Kyle Burkhart were ready to take the blocks. Christopher and Hunter seemed relaxed and Arick was his usual calm self, but Kyle, who had never swam in the OSU pool, looked like he was ready to turn around and go. Kyle had worked really hard last week and without his efforts we don't think our boy relays would have made it. Kyle was the key to Districts for the boys Jon and I told them to relax and just enjoy the moment. We were thrilled with the splits; Christopher 25.79, Kyle 29.87 (best ever), Arick Swallie 25.94 and Hunter 24.08 (almost a 23). They finished with a 1:45.10, not a record but a effort that was impressive. I was thrilled for the two seniors who had the best times of their career. This is what is it all about, not the places, but the effort.

Hunter's backstroke was next. I knew that Hunter had struggled with what his second event was going to be for the sectionals and I knew that backstroke was a "hot" event (lots of fast times). Hunter stepped into the pool, placed his feet and was off. He again stepped out of the pool breaking his own school record with a 59.73. He had put all that he had into it.

The last event was the 400 free relays. I had the sense the four senior girls had realized that this was it -- the last time to swim together. I heard things such as, "we will be together during summer", "we can swim at Jesuit" (they are all going to WJU), but finally it was time to take the block. Taylor was the one openly tearful, but I could tell the other three put their goggles on a little quicker. Katy stepped to the block, up and back and was done. Bethany-up and back and done. Taylor-up and back and done with her best ever 100 -1:06.52 and finally Brandi-up and back with her best 100 ever-1:02.20. It was done, my four seniors once again gone.

The last event of a very long day was the boy's 400 relay. I knew the two senior boys would not show the emotions that the girls did, but I felt that they too knew that this was the end. Arick had been to Districts before and swam on relays, but this was the end of a four-year career. The four boys stepped to the block. Kyle, a senior who had worked so hard, did his best with a 1:11. Arick was up and back with a best time in the 100 of 1:03.68. Then Christopher and Hunter ended the day, but we knew they would be back.

The day was over and so is the season. Maybe we didn't have all the practices we should have had due to the snow, maybe no one thought we were prepared, but sometimes I think it's the desire and determination to perform that makes a true athlete.

Thanks to everyone who reads our articles and supports our team. Thanks to our parent group who makes sure our kids get what they need. See you in the summer. It's only four months away!