Three Franklin Amateur Swim Team athletes took part in a national meet last weekend.
Throughout the Mountain Swim League season this summer, FAST’s best swimmers have kept track of their personal-best times, hoping to qualify for the Amatuer Athletic Union Junior Olympics. In Des Moines, Iowa, July 27-30, three FAST Fins gauged their skills against elite competition from across the country.
“Natalie Claire especially wanted to go, and Zoi and Natalie are pretty good friends,” said FAST head coach Dwain Picou of girls 15-18 standouts Natalie Claire Ballard and Zoi Walker. “They decided to go, and then Lana [Walker] made it. Of course since Zoi was going it was an easy thing for Lana to be included, so both families are going up.”
As one of FAST and Franklin High School’s best swimmers the past few years, Ballard had long had her sights set on JOs. Before Ballard, her friend and Panther teammate, Zoi Walker, and Walker’s younger sister, Lana punched their tickets however, they each had to meet strict qualifying standards in each event.
“Zoi is in the 50-meter freestyle and 100 freestyle, and Lana is in the 50 butterfly and the 50 and 100 free,” said Picou. “Claire is in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 50 free and 100 free. ... We were hoping that some other kids in their age groups, especially in the 15-18s, would qualify from the other [Mountain Swim League] teams so that they could have a relay, but they’ll only have three. I think there’s one Highlands girl in the 15-18s and our two, so there’s not enough for a relay.”
Between the AAU’s strict qualifying standards and the travel required to get to Des Moines, it’s no surprise swimmers were unable to form an MSL relay team, as they did last year when JOs were held in Greensboro. For this year’s participants however, the chance to race some of their fastest peers in the nation was too good to pass up.
“We had about 15 kids qualify, but it was just so far away,” said Picou. “Most of the kids asked us about the JO cuts, and I think making it is a very nice thing. ... As a coach, you really like that the kids are always wondering what their times are. It shows that they really, really care about their sport. It’s a national competition and they had to make the national cuts, so they’re up against some really, really fast people. That’s always good. ... Of course, the girls told me they would text me at least once or twice every single day to make sure I knew everything that was going on.”
In spending their summer season meeting JO qualifying standards and making the near 1,000-mile trip to Des Moines, Ballard and the Walkers have shown extraordinary commitment to their sport, which will surely come in handy during the MMS/FHS/FAST seasons next year. Luckily, Franklin won’t always face such a hurdle in traveling to the competition, which is scheduled to return to Greensboro next year.
“Next year it’s back in Greensboro again. The AAU organization likes the Greensboro Aquatic Center, because it’s a really nice pool with very nice facilities,” said Picou. “I think last year we took 12 or 13 kids with us, and this next year we hope to do the same. ... We’re going to apply for some grants to raise money to go back again next year.”
The Press will report FAST’s Junior Olympic results in next week’s edition.