The Castlegar Aquanauts summer swim season is usually full of excitement as swimmers are eager to get back into competitions. However this year like so many things, is full of reminders to mask up and keep your distance.
While the competitive season may not look like summers of the past, Aquanauts head coach Emma Lawczynski says, “Everyone is excited to see their friends, everyone is excited to exercise, and we are all looking forward to working hard this season.”
The club is happy to be able to get some of their younger swimmers back in the pool, this summer offering Widths, Juniors and Seniors programs.
Club president Adam Rodgers says, “COVID has been stressful for everyone, and the swimmers are excited to return to some normalcy, and the kids faces when they leave the pool are full of happiness.”
While traveling to swim meets won’t be happening again this year, it’s still important for the swimmers to keep practicing and to keep their social connections during this time, so that they are ready when the time comes to go head-to-head with the rest of the Kootenay Okanagan region.
Lawczynski says, “It is sad that we don’t get to compete in person, but we are working together with the region, to run some competitions online and still get some races in and still get that team spirit.”
And how do the swimmers feel about being in the pool? Anais, age 13, says, “Swimming has been going well, the swimming is fun and there are really fun people,”.
Grady, age 12, agrees, “I was pretty pumped that swimming was opening up again.”
Right now, the Castlegar Aquanauts are booking their swim times on a month-to-month basis and swimming is open to all ages, with some COVID restrictions in place. For more information on the programs, you can check out their website castlegaraquanauts.teampages.com.
