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RiverMonsters Swim Club gearing up for a splashing good summer

Community support for the Hope club is the envy of other Fraser Valley swim clubs
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Olympic medalist Brent Hayden teaches technique to young swimmers at the Dan Sharrers Aquatic Centre in Hope on Saturday. Greg Laychak photo

By comparison to down-valley swim clubs, the Hope RiverMonsters are tiny — but they have something the other groups are yearning for: community support.

Club president, Catherine Freimark said on Tuesday, “Everybody in our region is extremely jealous of our community support and our support from the regional district.”

The abundance of assistance will pay large dividends at the club’s second-annual swim meet, June 9 and 10. It also seems to be showing up at the registration table.

Summer swim clubs are allowed to have maintenance swimming sessions during the off-season and having an indoor pool is a big bonus to the club.

“We had 20 swimmers in our first Winterfit session, from September to December,” said Freimark, “and that doubled from last year. In the second session, which we just finished, it was 17.”

Swimmers can now continue training on their own, until the summer season officially opens on May 1. Most swimmers will have two sessions per week under the direction of head coach Mike Freimark, Catherine’s husband.

“Three of our swimmers are going on to the ‘Train to Train’ program (with coach Mike), perfecting what they have already learned and working on speed and endurance,” said Catherine. “The focus is on taking them from a local level to the provincial level.”

Violette Freimark, Danika Hope and Avery Loring are in for the extra training and Catherine said there might be more, from new members joining this year.

“Some other exciting news is that we’re starting a Mini-Monsters group, which will be training for a half hour twice a week,” said Catherine. “It’s for kids aged 6 and under and we have it capped at six swimmers. Four have already signed up.

“We have a development coach, Taylor Lees of Agassiz, and she’s excited to develop a program from the start,” added Catherine.

The minis can take part in the swim meets and are expected to swim a 25-metre length. Unlike the older swimmers, the minis can have the coach with them in the water during a race — keeping them afloat or even helping gently propel them to the finish line.

“There are no disqualifications at this level,” said Catherine. “It’s all about gaining experience.”

There’s a buzz around the pool that harkens back to the old days of the Hope Otters at the outdoor Centennial Pool.

Olympian medalist Brent Hayden and his wife Nadina Zarifeh held a workshop in Hope on March 17, with 30 swimmers from age 7 to 20-something coming from Delta to Kamloops for the expert training.

Hayden spoke of his 10 years as a summer swimmer for the Mission Marlins and his fondness for the Hope Otters’ meets. “It was one of the two swim meets that I really looked forward to coming to,” he told Black Press reporter Greg Laychak.

When Hayden attended last year’s meet, he donated a medal he had won in Hope back in the 1990s, hoping it would be a source of inspiration for the RiverMonsters’ young swimmers. “They’re on the same path that I was. It’s just going to come down the decisions they make along the way, if they want to continue or not,” he said.

This year’s meet will be an even bigger event than the first one, said Catherine. “This year, we have 8 clubs in the region. Last year it was 7 — and Merritt is coming down. They have a big team, so we’ll definitely have more swimmers and campers.

“The Lions Club and Project Hope are helping again with feeding,” added Catherine. “There’ll pancake breakfasts both days and I believe lunch on both days.

“It’s all open to the public, to come and watch or help out.”

While the club is developing young swimmers, Catherine said there is growing interest in starting a Masters swim group, noting there is a good group of seniors who swim regularly. As well, she said Larry Hine of Chilliwack organized a Masters’ meet at the Dan Sharrers Aquatic Centre March 4, which drew 50 swimmers to the community — the oldest being 94.

“We don’t currently have the capacity on the executive board to set up a Masters’ club,” said Catherine, “but that’s something we could look at in the future.”