Club swim team heads to Atlanta to compete in Olympic setting
Each April the HPU club swim team takes a five-hour bus ride to Atlanta to compete in the East Coat Swim Club Championships, held annually on the campus of Georgia Tech.
The pool was the site of the 1996 Olympic Swimming events and it’s considered to be an honor to swim on its site.
In 2011, out of 47 teams competing, both HPU men’s and women’s swim teams ranked in the top 20 finishing schools. In 2012 HPU will be led by captains Chris Jones, Wade Rothrock, Catherine Beckemeyer, and Aliya Wilk and fellow key team members Pat Stein, Molly Branson, and Kristen Dukes. The team looks to improve on their finish from last year.
Club swimming coach Brian Crowder says the Atlanta meet is the big one for the team.
“It is the biggest meet in the country for club swimming,” said Crowder, “All the best club swim teams get together at the end of the year and treat this as our championship meet.”
HPU has beat teams including Rutgers, Villanova, East Carolina, Florida State, Miami, Virginia, Kansas, and UCLA.
By Brian Brennan
“Atlanta is basically what we work for all year. Because we are a club team, there is no set national meet for us to attend. So the East Coast Swim Club Championship serves as our national meet,” added Crowder, “It is were we can go to test our abilities to their maximum potential because we are in an environment with other swimmers who are just as competitive and have a love the sport.”
According to coaches and swimmers, sometimes it goes beyond competition. To Wade Rotherock the East Coast Swim Club Championships is more than a meet to compete in.
“More importantly I see Atlanta as an opportunity for our team to grow as a family,” he said, “We are with each other for three whole days, and last year I really saw everyone come together for support for one another during that time. I feel like I got to know everyone on a more personal level last year. It is definitely a huge bonding experience.”
“Atlanta is the most fun weekend of the year for the swim team. It’s a huge competition, and sort of our ‘end goal to work towards’ as a team. It’s a great bonding experience and a great weekend overall,” said Aliya Wilk.
Overall the HPU Club Swim Team improves almost every year on its success. The team will return to Atlanta March 30 to April 1.
Last year the winner of the East Coast Club Swimming Championships was the University of Colorado and HPU’s goal is to compete and do its best.
“We have a pretty strong team based on how we’ve done in our meets this season,” said Pat Stein, “Everyone has been excited about the meet since the first practice and it’s just a lot of fun to go out and swim in a pool like Georgia Tech’s.”