On Jan. 17, Clarke Central High School competed in a swim meet at the University of Georgia’s Ramsey Student Center Natatorium center. Clarke Central sophomore Grace Mauldin placed third in her 500 yard freestyle. “The 500 (freestyle) is a really hard event, (swimmers) need to pace themselves so they can achieve their goal time,” Mauldin said. Photo courtesy of Marielise Dube-Cantin.
By OWEN CHURCHWELL – Staff Writer
As Clarke Central High School’s swim team’s season is coming to a close, the annual area meet held at the University of Georgia’s Ramsey Student Center Natatorium center will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31.
The annual area meet marks the most important meet of the swim season. Six high schools from northern Georgia compete in the meet, including CCHS’ crosstown rival Cedar Shoals High School.
According to sophomore Grace Mauldin, the CCHS swim team is motivated for the meet by the senior group.
“We also have a lot of seniors, and they have been doing this for a while, so I think they want to do really well to end the season off good. They have been really supportive to the team,” Mauldin said.
In anticipation of the area meet and in hopes to perform well, the team has been doing everything they can to get ready for the meet.
“I am just going to train really hard, eat right, drink lots of water and get lots of sleep and all that stuff,” Mauldin said.
The area meet this year will be held on a Friday, which swimming and diving head coach and French department teacher Emily Dowd believes might cause some trouble.
“I am worried that the kids are going to be a little more tired, given that it is at the end of the week on a Friday, after school,” Dowd said. “They won’t have the time to rest, like they would have on a Saturday.”