Park City, Moab develop into hotbeds for prep swimming

The mountains are covered in snow and ski enthusiasts, dressed in coats, gloves and other cold-weather gear, make their way down a paved walking trail outside the Park City Aquatic Center.

But Katie Hale is about to get in the pool inside the center, and that’s not always a pleasant experience.

“There are days that are so cold that it’s really hard to get in the water,” Hale said.

About 250 miles away in another Utah town known for attracting outdoor enthusiasts, competition swimming was more or less an after-thought until Brian Pierce became the coach for a new program at Grand County High School six years ago.

“In the summertime, they’re out there doing their thing,” Pierce said his swimmers. “In the wintertime, during school and when it’s dark, they’re ready to go swim.”

What the two cities have in common is more than being an outdoors enthusiasts’ dream. They also boast exceptional high school swimming programs.

Both Park City and Grand County are out to defend state crowns earned a year ago.

And it wasn’t even close when Park City won the boys’ and girls’ team championships in 2017. The Miners ran away with the girls’ title by scoring 466 points to second-place Desert Hills’ 275. It was the fourth straight state title for the Miners.

The Park City boys, meanwhile, also won their fourth consecutive title, tallying 369 points to 256.5 for second-place Cedar City.

“They probably think we’re focused on skiing — that’s our main, and only, sport,” said Cole Peterson, who won the Class 3A boys’ 100-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke last year. “But we do have other sports. Our swim team is one of the best sports our high school has.”

Miners swimmers like to credit altitude for playing a huge role in their success. Park City is at about 7,000 feet above sea level, while recent state meets held at the BYU pool were about 2,500 feet lower. This year’s Class 4A meet will be held at the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful, which sits at about 4,800 feet.

“I think what sets us apart from the other counties and cities is the elevation,” Peterson said. “When swimmers come up here, they struggle. They can’t get enough air. They can’t breathe.

“We’re training here. When we go down, we’re almost getting too much air.”

The Miners girls suffered significant graduation losses when seniors Rozie Selsnick and Joelle Hess departed, but Hale is a defending state champion in the backstroke and was second in the 100 butterfly last year.

“Personally, I feel like I’ve developed kind of a mental toughness,” Hale said about practicing at the pool with a view. “When the water’s cold or when I’m not feeling at my best, I still manage to get in the water and work really hard.”

The Grand County girls will be trying for a third straight championship. The Red Devils, now in Class 3A, grabbed first in Class 2A with 244 points to beat back second-place Emery (172) last year.

Although Grand County has a returning state champion in Mary Kimmerle, who won the 50 freestyle, the team lost major components when senior Alexa Pierce, the coach’s daughter, graduated and London Richards, the state winner in the 100 breaststroke, transferred to Cedar City.

“We’re a young team and basically starting all over again rebuilding,” coach Pierce said.

The commitment to swimming and blocking out the endless possibilities outdoors is crucial to success for the two elite programs in Park City and Moab. Of course sometimes that’s easier said than done.

“As I get older, I realize how beautiful it is and try to get out hiking as much as I can,” Kimmerle said about Moab. “… I think when you swim with your whole team during the season, it’s so much easier.”

CLASS 6A STATE MEET <br>At South Davis Recreation Center <br>Day 1 • 6 p.m. Thursday <br>Day 2 • 6 p.m. Friday <br>CLASS 5A STATE MEET <br>At South Davis Recreation Center <br>Day 1 • 9:30 a.m. Friday <br>Day 2 • 3 p.m. Saturday <br>CLASS 4A STATE MEET <br>At South Davis Recreation Center <br>Day 1 • 2 p.m. Friday <br>Day 2 • 9:30 a.m. Saturday <br>CLASS 3A STATE MEET <br>At Wasatch Aquatic Center <br>Day 1 • 11 a.m. Thursday

from The Salt Lake Tribune http://ift.tt/2E7HhLV