“Making Waves: The Rise of Swimming Co-Ops as Schools Seek Solutions”

Jack Martel doesn’t need to be reminded twice. Like every student at Edward Little High, he understands that Lewiston is his school’s adversary.

It took a moment for the junior to digest the notion that Lewiston would be incorporated into the Edward Little/Poland/Leavitt co-op swim team this winter. However, as the season commenced, any anxieties he had dissipated.

“It felt a bit strange initially, but I’ve started to enjoy it,” Martel stated. “We’re all companions and part of the same squad. Training is definitely different with more participants in the water, but we still accomplish our tasks and cooperate as a team. I believe it has benefited us.”

That’s a sentiment shared by swimmers, coaches, and athletic administrators throughout Maine. As team sizes decline and options in the sport diminish, cooperative teams are becoming an increasingly favored selection, even among some of the state’s largest institutions.

Involvement in swimming, similar to numerous other high school sports across the region, has declined in recent years. At the commencement of the 2014-15 season, there were 1,808 swimmers representing 72 squads competing statewide. Currently, only 936 swimmers and 49 teams are active.

The most significant drop occurred, predictably, when participation fell from 1,519 swimmers in 2019-20 to 947 in 2020-21, as the COVID-19 pandemic compelled teams to compete online. Since then, the disappearance of youth swim teams at various YMCAs (including Freeport, Biddeford, and Portland, among others) has exacerbated the situation.

“The primary issue is our feeder programs,” remarked Scott Morrison, coach of the Edward Little co-op. “I believe YMCAs have had to redefine their objectives since COVID, and many have ceased offering those programs since emerging from it. We’ve also lost numerous coaches. Consider the expertise and experience that some of these mentors possess; we’re all maturing; we’re not youthful anymore.”

Cailyn Henning, captain of the Messalonskee co-op swim team, leads practice at the Alfond Youth & Community Center pool in Waterville. The team, comprising 22 members, consists of swimmers from Messalonskee, Waterville, Nokomis, and Lawrence high schools. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Despite Lewiston High having 1,505 students, athletic director Jason Fuller anticipated merely two or three swimmers. Fortunately, he and Edward Little athletic director Todd Sampson had already been exploring potential cooperative options across various sports. Collaborating would not only provide Lewiston’s students with a complete swim team experience but would also strengthen the Edward Little co-op, which utilizes the Lewiston YWCA pool for practices.

“Our numbers were slightly low, and financially, considering such a small participant count and things like pool rentals, it made sense for us to explore options that would still enable our students to swim while making a prudent financial choice for our district,” Fuller noted. “EL has a reputable program; they are located nearby, and we share the same pool, so it was a logical decision.”

EXPANDING TREND

In the 2018-19 season, there were only three co-ops composed of six schools: Gardiner/Hall-Dale, Waterville/Winslow, and Caribou/Fort Fairfield. This figure has gradually increased, with new co-ops forming and existing ones adding schools, resulting in 10 co-ops comprised of 26 teams now.

Lewiston’s inclusion in the Edward Little team is not the only significant recent occurrence within the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A co-ops. Two other major competitors, Brunswick and Mt. Ararat, have merged, while Messalonskee has partnered with Lawrence, Nokomis, and Skowhegan after these institutions previously engaged in exhibition swimming with the Eagles.

“I believe this is a trend that you will witness increasingly,” stated Messalonskee athletic director Chad Foye. “A few sports, in particular, are gravitating strongly in this direction. When you observe hockey participation, it’s following this model frequently, and now swimming seems to be doing the same as well.”

In certain instances, the formation of co-op teams by other schools has motivated coaches and athletic directors to pursue similar arrangements. This was true for Morrison, whose co-op originated when he joined forces with Leavitt in 2021-22 after Deering and Portland, two of the state’s largest schools, combined their programs in the previous season.

The Deering/Portland collaboration also serves as a model for how co-ops can revitalize struggling programs. Prior to the 2020-21 season, the Deering boys and Portland girls would not have been able to execute relays due to having only three swimmers each. As a co-op, Deering/Portland managed to expand its roster and foster a thriving culture — and last year, the Deering/Portland girls secured the Class A state championship.

Chase Leonardo, center, from Leavitt and Jack Martel from Edward Little examine the practice goals during a training session at the YWCA in Lewiston. Coach Scott Morrison is confident that his team’s cooperative arrangement among four schools is enhancing the strength of all the team’s swimmers. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

“We considered all the obstacles we were facing, and we recognized we’d be more effective together than either of us could be independently,” remarked Deering/Portland coach Sarah Rasmussen. “We revitalized our culture, we were extremely deliberate about every choice we made, and we established new traditions. I believe it’s truly paying off for us.”

In Class A, Brewer/Hampden Academy initiated a co-op last season. In Class B, the longstanding powerhouse Old Town has formed a co-op with Orono, Foxcroft Academy, Piscataquis, and Stearns. Hermon has partnered with John Bapst, while Boothbay joined forces with Wiscasset.

Years prior, Waterville/Winslow was among the teams that initiated the co-op trend. The Purple Panthers established their co-op in the 2016-17 season, following Gardiner/Hall-Dale, which did so a year earlier, resulting in a thriving program that enables coach Justin Giroux to sustain participation levels.

“It grants opportunities for kids to compete and be part of a team that, without the co-op, might not exist,” Giroux stated. “I grew up in Lawrence, and we never really had a swim team. It’s wonderful to witness more of this because it provides everyone who swims with us an opportunity to truly belong and participate in all the events.”

NEW IDENTITIES EMERGING

Representing multiple schools, some teams have forged new identities. Deering/Portland, referred to as the “RamDogs,” sports a shield logo featuring both mascots and swim caps adorned with a bulldog wearing ram horns. Although the Edward Little co-op lacks an official mascot name, the team’s logo showcases Edward Little’s ghost logo, bee wings for Leavitt (Hornets), a sword for Poland (Knights), and now Blue Devil horns for Lewiston.

“I adore our logo; it’s truly enjoyable,” expressed Ashlyn Holbrook, a senior from Leavitt. “I think it’s fantastic how it symbolizes all the schools. Our team motto is ‘United We Swim’ because although we hail from different institutions, we are united as a team. I think it’s those (small details that bring us together). I love the little horns on it.”

Merging teams hasn’t been the only topic; due to the diminishing number of teams, there’s also discussion about combining conference meets. Josh Frost, the athletic director at Ellsworth High and a member of the MPA swim committee, mentioned that the KVAC and Penobscot Valley Conference have contemplated this idea.

“Given our numbers, our league championship this year will still be a championship, but it won’t resemble what it used to,” Frost noted. “The PVC was hoping for a (combined meet with the KVAC) this year, which isn’t going to happen, but we might consider it for next year. It could almost resemble a Class B North regional meet, genuinely.”

The modifications are still an adjustment for some. As Fuller mentions, it’s natural to desire a program that’s uniquely yours, a sentiment that diminishes when you co-op with another school. Some longtime Portland and Deering graduates, Rasmussen noted, have expressed (even if perhaps in jest) their discontent at the notion of rivals banding together as a single team.

The athletes in the pool, however, appear to be adapting well. For programs grappling with participation issues, co-ops provide a means to still experience a cohesive team dynamic — and swimmers like Gabby Roy of Lewiston are welcoming their new teams.

“I somewhat anticipated this based on our numbers from last year, but I believe it’s beneficial for our team,” Roy stated. “I don’t mind (not having our own Lewiston team); this is a larger team and we all get along. Swimming alongside each other is truly enjoyable.”

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