The Clarke Central High School swim team discusses their upcoming meet, scheduled for Nov. 13, with head swimming and diving coach Emily Hulse on Nov. 4 at the University of Georgia’s Ramsey Center. The team has prepared for meets during their practices throughout the season, but as they approach their first meet, they’ve started focusing on the specific skills that will be necessary. “Everything we’re doing is in slow preparation for our meets. Everything is built on everything else, so you can’t just jump in there,” Hulse said. “(We have to) teach them the commands, the whistle starts and other things like that that are specific for meets, and just get them to know what to expect for those who don’t know.” Photo by Isabella Westrich
The CCHS swim team is gearing up for their first meet of the season, which will take place on Nov. 13 in Morgan County.
The Clarke Central High School swim team will compete in their first meet of the season on Nov. 13 in Morgan County.
The meet is smaller than those the team typically competes in, which head swimming and diving coach Emily Hulse believes will be beneficial.
“A lot of the meets that we have here at (the University of Georgia’s Ramsey Center) are a lot bigger with a lot more teams,” Hulse said. “The meet in Morgan County is smaller. It’s just us, Morgan County, (and) maybe two other teams, which makes it nice. It’s more personal, each swimmer feels like they’re contributing a little bit more as opposed to just the top five (swimmers). So it’s a good way to start the season.”
“The meet in Morgan County is smaller. It’s just us, Morgan County, (and) maybe two other teams, which makes it nice. It’s more personal, each swimmer feels like they’re contributing a little bit more as opposed to just the top five (swimmers). So it’s a good way to start the season.”
— Emily Hulse,
Head swimming and diving coach
According to swimmer Oliver Cederbaum, a sophomore, smaller meets are important to the team because they allow swimmers to support each other and build connections.
“I do like the smaller meets better because it’s a lot less pressure. With the bigger meets it tends to mean that there are a ton of spectators and that is definitely more stressful,” Cederbaum said. “There’s a lot of team spirit at (meets). You have people finishing up their events and you go up and congratulate them afterward, and there’s lots of good sportsmanship. So that’s really good for the team as a whole.”
Hulse has been impressed by the team’s hard work and the progress they’ve made during practice, and believes that they will perform well in their upcoming meet.
“(The swimmers) are working hard. They’re not messing around in practice, they’re getting in and they’re doing the drills and they’re picking up on them quickly,” Hulse said. “I think they’re going to do a good job and they’re going to try their best (at the Morgan County meet) because they’ve been showing that in practice.”
