Swimmers from Humboldt and Watson had a whale of a time at the Hammerheads Swim Camp at the Uniplex on May 30 and 31.
Twenty-two swimmers learned all four strokes, turns, and some specialized turns.
“They went through the entire aspect of competitive swimming,” said head coach, Liesl Lefebvre.
Coach Clint Stevens with the Gator Academy of Swimming came out to help members of the Hammerheads swim team with their different strokes.
“It went really well,” Lefebvre said. “The kids were really engaged. They liked learning new drills. It can get really monotonous, swimming the same drills day after day.”
Lefebvre also added that the students learned different way to do things, which can also sometimes be all they need to improve.
The age range of swimmers was 10-16. The camps are not an annual event, but Lefebvre said the club likes to have swim camps every few years. Right now there are no concrete plans for one next year.
“Swimming has a lot of benefits. Swimming in and of itself is a life skill,” Lefebvre said. “It never really goes away.”
Job-wise, she said that many students go on to become lifeguards, which is a job that’s always needed.
Putting that aside, it’s just a beneficial activity.
“You’re competing against yourself, competing to get your best time,” she said.
However, there’s also a team aspect, and the friendships made while swimming competitively can be life-long.
“Even though you may be swimming in a race against someone on your team, you’re still competing against yourself so you’re still friends when you get out of the water,” she said.
