Each summer, dedicated athletes wake up in the wee hours of the morning and go to swim practice. They commit the next couple hours to swimming and strength training. The routine is repeated daily, all in the hope that the swimmers will be prepared for the championship meet, Greater Mansfield Aquatic Conference (GMAC).
GMAC holds five different member pools: Ashland, Clear Fork, Walnut Hills, Woodland, and Wooldridge Woods.
The swim season begins June and continues through mid-July. Students who are 18 years of age and under are welcome to participate.
This year, the GMAC swim meet will be held July 15, 16, 19, and 20. The first two days, July 15 – 16, will feature diving events and July 19 – 20 will hold the swimming events.
Two swimmers, in particular, are excited about this year’s GMAC.
A recent graduate of Ontario High School, Elizabeth Byrd is finishing up her last season of summer swim with Woodland. She has been part of the Woodland swim team for 13 years.
Byrd has appreciated swimming with GMAC’s Woodland team. “It’s been fun because you can be a good role model for all the little kids; that’s what I saw when I was young, and I hope to do the same,” she said.
Byrd enjoys swimming the 50 yard breaststroke. While high school swimming requires the individual stroke events to be at least 100 yards with the exception of freestyle events. GMAC allows for shorter distances in those events. In reference to this difference, she commented, “The shorter race, the better.”
Byrd, however, does participate exclusively in those shorter events. She swims many of the distance events, including the 200 IM and the 200 freestyle.
She eagerly awaits the conference championship and said, “Every year it’s a strong Woodland tradition to win GMAC.”
Abby Miller, who will be a sophomore at Lexington High School next year, is a swimmer for Walnut Hills.
When asked about her experience with the summer program, she shared, “I’ve enjoyed being able to hang out with friends.” Miller’s favorite event is the 50 yard backstroke, however, her versatility allows the coaches to place her in whatever event they need filled, including diving.
A swimmer since the age of 10 years old, Miller started out swimming with Woodland, then Clear Fork, and now Walnut Hills. She joked that she may have to join the other two teams in the GMAC to make sure she’s swum for all the teams in the conference.
For more information on GMAC or for a schedule of the swim meets, visit http://gmacswimdive.com/.
