H.S. Swimming: New season begins for Turners Falls

Competition is again on the Wes Snapp Aquatic Center. The Turners Falls girls and boys swim groups kicked off the winter season with their first observe on Monday.

After a quick interval of team-building workouts, it was into the pool for the athletes. The swimming didn’t cease from there. A white board listed the prolonged itinerary for the groups’ first coaching session. Water bottles have been near the pool for winded swimmers.

The Thunder have a stable quantity of their co-op this season with 35 swimmers. As the season approaches the quantity may develop nearer to 40.

“It’s good to see some kids are sticking around,” Turners Falls coach Abby Heathwaite stated.

Heathwaite begins her second season with the Thunder. Last yr she missed the start of the season as a result of her faculty commencement at Coastal Carolina.

“I feel a lot more prepared for the season,” Heathwaite stated. “I love these kids. They were so helpful last year.”

Liam Bliss, Lillian Walker-Hanning and Mario Pareja are the captains for the Thunder. Bliss makes a speciality of breast stroke and freestyle dash occasions. Whatever the occasion, Bliss can compete with anyone.

“I could throw him literally anywhere and he would blow everyone out of the water,” Heathwaite stated. “He’s insane.”

Bliss made all of it the way in which to state competitors final yr. At the Western Mass. meet, Bliss positioned seventh within the 50-yard freestyle occasion.

“This year I am hoping to do better, obviously,” Bliss stated. “I am hoping to take first place at Western Mass. I have been training all summer.”

Bliss put in some work exterior the pool over the summer time and fall to arrange for his senior season. Activities included rock-climbing, working and hitting the weights.

“Just getting ready to take on this last year,” Bliss stated. “Most of the offseason is weight lifting and a lot of outdoor activities.”

With plenty of new swimmers within the water at Turners Falls, Bliss does have some assistant teaching duties within the early practices.

“It’s definitely going to be different for me,” Bliss stated. “I am better with more advanced teaching but I feel like it will be good for me to learn to go straight to the basics and build up from ground zero for other people.”

Walker-Hanning specializes within the 100-yard breaststroke. A transparent objective for Walker-Hanning is making it to state competitors in her specialty occasion.

“That’s the one I’ve been trying to get my goal time in the past four years,” Walker-Hanning stated.

After coping with some accidents as a result of working cross nation previously, Walker-Hanning seems ahead to a wholesome senior season with the Thunder.

“I am working on enjoying my senior year,” Walker-Hanning stated. “I had a 1:17 in breaststroke and I am shooting for state and regional time this year which is 1:16 so we’ll see if I can get that this year.”

Walker-Hanning moved from North Carolina final yr.

“I jumped into a new team and didn’t know a lot of people,” Walker-Hanning stated. “But they welcomed me with open arms. I love the team. They were so welcoming when I came here. I jumped in and felt like I was part of a family which was really great. It doesn’t feel like a challenge anymore and I am excited to see where we go this year.”

Alice Fortin simply missed qualifying for states final season within the 50-freestyle. Heathwaite has confidence that Fortin will hit that objective this season.

“I think it clicked in that last meet,” Heathwaite stated. “She really understood exactly how to put mind and body into it and really get going.”

Jade Walker-Hanning is a younger swimmer to observe in breast stroke occasions.