Following a one-year hiatus, Mary-Melissa May is back as Gilmer High School’s swimming coach.
May has been with the program since its inception aside from last season. Hope George led the team last year but has since moved on to another school system.
“I’m excited to be back and I missed it,” May said. “I didn’t realize how much I’d miss it. I missed the kids and being part of that story for them beginning a season and all of the work you put into it and seeing that payoff at the meets. That’s something that I did not anticipate missing as much as I did. While it may not have been my first choice to get back into it, I’m very glad I did.”
There are currently 18 total swimmers in the program, and May noted more could be on the way once the fall sports season is over.
Official practices began Oct. 12. The team held voluntary preseason workouts in past years, but COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans.
“We could have but we didn’t,” May said. “With all the questions with COVID-19 and all of those precautions, and some of our athletes involved with fall activities, we just didn’t do it this year.”
The team’s early focus has been spent on nailing down fundamentals.
“We have a few new swimmers, and since I didn’t coach last year, we’ve really been focusing on trying to make sure everyone knows the basics for each of the strokes as much as possible,” May said. “We’re just trying to begin that process of conditioning and trying to ramp that up fairly quickly without compromising technique. They’re all getting tired quickly.
“We normally have a summer swim season but didn’t have that either because our pool situation and COVID-19. It’s been a little of a slow start, but I think it has been very valuable.”
This year’s team is made up of a core of veteran swimmers who have been involved in the sport since they were elementary school students. May also welcomed back some who decided to try their hand at swimming once again.
“I’m really excited about this upcoming season,” May said. “I have a handful of swimmers who are seniors and have been swimming since they were 8 years old.
“We have some kids who grew up with the summer swim program but then they got to high school and started doing other extracurriculars. They kind of dropped swimming but have come back this year, and it’s given a boost to our team. They’re excited to be back, and it’s created a cool and positive overall vibe for the team.”
The program is still without a pool and continues to make use of the facilities inside Coosawattee River Resort.
“They have been very welcoming, and we have shared the pool as needed,” May said. “We’re practicing four days a week, and not everyone comes every day. We’re trying to minimize our time there as much as possible.”
COVID-19 has not affected the team’s practices and preparations to a large degree. However, competitions will be impacted as most venues will not allow spectators. Swimmers from all teams normally congregate on one side of the pool, but this season the bleachers will be used so teams can socially distance.
“It’s really sad that most of the facilities are not allowing spectators,” May said. “I have a new freshman who just started to swim, and his parents are anxious to see what it’s all about, and they’re not going to be able to see their son compete or see his growth throughout the season.
“On the other side, I have senior parents who have been to every meet, and now all of sudden, it’s their child’s senior year, and they’re not going to get to see the culmination of their swimming career.”
Swimmers will be required to wear facial coverings at meets. They will only be removed when swimmers step on the block and will be put back on after exiting the pool, according to May.
“We’re happy to comply if it means we have a season,” May said. “We’re going to do what we need to do to keep everyone safe.”
The pandemic has already altered Gilmer’s schedule. The team was set to begin the season last Saturday in Dalton but a recent up-tick in confirmed COVID-19 cases led to its postponement.
GHS will start its season Friday at the Swim for the Cause event at the Cherokee Aquatic Center beginning at 6:30 p.m.