Hope George
Gilmer High School has begun its sixth swim season under the guidance of new head coach Hope George.
George, who is in her 13th year as an educator, arrived in Ellijay after teaching most recently at Indian Creek Middle School in Newton County. She has also spent time in teaching in the Gwinnett and Rockdale districts.
While George has previously helped coach summer swim teams, this is her foray into coaching a high school team. George discussed her move from metro Atlanta to north Georgia.
“I love being in a smaller county and the idea that all counties work together,” George said. “I know we don’t have our own personal pool so we do have to kind of rely on the family aspect of other counties.
“Coming from a large county, it was more neighborhood-based within the county. In Gwinnett, they serve 200,000 kids and everything is broken down into clusters. Up here, Gilmer has to rely on Pickens and Rome. It makes it feel more open and accommodating up in the mountains.”
George took over the GHS program from former head coach Mary-Melissa May, who stepped down after last season. Originally, George was concentrating on teaching, and the coaching aspect seemed like a natural fit.
“The coaching position kind of fell in my lap in some ways,” George said. “I wanted to come to Gilmer High School, that’s what I wanted. My husband retired from DeKalb County as a police officer, and we decided to move to the mountains, and our first choice was Gilmer.
“(Principal) Mrs. (Carla) Foley let me know about the swim position that was open. I put two and two together and — with my athletic background (track and field) and helping with summer leagues — this is definitely something I wanted to take on and get involved with at the school.”
So far, everything has gone swimmingly for George.
“The kids are great,” she said. “The kids here, I love them. I love these families and the parents. These parents are involved and they want to help.”
GHS swimmers reported to practice in mid-October, and there are currently 17 on the team. They began with dry land workouts and were in the pool by week two. George noted she catered early practices to suit swimmers’ needs.
“We have anywhere from beginners to very competitive scholarship bound swimmers,” she said. “With new swimmers, I’m working on reprogramming proper strokes. With middle-of-the-way swimmers, we’re working on strength and endurance. With the long-term swimmers, we’re working on endurance and better times so they can meet those state cuts and get more recognition.”
George has held practice in the evenings three days per week and also has conducted morning sessions twice weekly.
Without its own pool, practice space and time have sometimes been an issue for the program during its existence. The team has continued to practice at a pool located at Coosawattee River Resort, which is a private community.
“I know there’s years of stuff from before, and Coosawattee has been more than accommodating,” George said. “There was a process and we did receive 21 guest passes from residents who support the swim team, and I’m eternally grateful for that.
“There was also some who were opposed to it as well, so I had to have some thick skin. But in the end, we were able to get what we needed to practice. We’re starting the season strong, and I owe that to Coosawattee. I really wish the community would embrace it a little more because the swim team has a chance to make a name for Gilmer County.”
Season begins
Gilmer attended its second meet of the season last Thursday in Rome. The Bobcats and Lady Cats faced the host Wolves and Central Carroll High School.
Rome won the meet with 219 points. Central took second over GHS, 127-109.
Gilmer’s Payton Woodring qualified for state in two events and won the 100-yard butterfly (58.05) and 500 freestyle (5:12.94).
GHS swimmers combined for 15 total top-four placements.
Aside from Woodring, Gilmer’s 400 freestyle relay team of Isaiah Sharp, Kaden Little, Coleman Ellis and Connor Mohon also finished first in 4:18.78.
Gilmer’s’ individual second-place finishes included Little in the 200 free (2:35.25) and Angel Guidry in the 100 backstroke (1:30.66).
Coming in third were Larz Fowler, 50 free (28.78); Mohon, 100 fly (1:06.33) and 100 breaststroke (1:17.55) and Sharp, 100 free (1:00.31). Ellis claimed fourth place in the 50 free (28.99).
Three Lady Cat relay teams were runners-up. Guidry, Sadie Bryan, Woodring and Amber Collins clocked in at 2:26.84 in the 200 medley relay. In the 200 freestyle, they swapped Bryan and Collins for Kaitlyn Grice and Mary Parks and posted a time of 2:07.57.
Grice, Bryan, Collins and Parks then teamed up for second in the 400 freestyle at 5:39.68.
The Bobcat 200 medley relay team of Sharp, Fowler, Mohon and Ellis were third in 2:30.93. In the 200 free, Fowler, Ty Cox, Connor Richards and Little placed fourth with a time of 2:07.12.
GHS will attend a Thursday meet in Calhoun.