With its swimming season lasting only six weeks, including four meets and a championship, the Grandview Gators make every moment count and take pride in creating an environment that balances fun with hard work.
The athletes that make up The Grandview Gators have a wide age range, starting as young as 6 and continuing through 18 years old. With both a swim and a dive team, the program is a learning experience for children and teens that helps them develop skills in and out of the pool.
Teaching the basics
Olivia Decker
The Gators’ coaching staff understand the importance of building a strong foundation in swimming techniques. The team’s commitment to skill development shows in its schedule, as practices divided by age group are held five times a week, providing focused instruction.
For the younger swimmers, practices often incorporate pool games focusing on swim fundamentals such as kicking and breathing. In addition to learning swim techniques, the coaches emphasize water safety practices, such as not diving into shallow water and how to roll onto their backs if they become short of breath. Older, more experienced swimmers focus on refining their technique and getting faster.
Susan Ferguson and her son, Charlie, have been heavily involved in the program for years, with Susan coaching the team since 2010, and Charlie joining as a swimmer when he was 6, later transitioning into a coach at 18.
“It really is not a super competitive team,” says Susan. “I mean they’re learning how to compete, but we’re really teaching the fundamentals of swimming.”
More than swimming
While swimming and competing are a big focus, being a part of the Gators also teaches valuable life skills to young swimmers. Coaches Susan and Charlie are dedicated to creating a positive and enjoyable environment for their swimmers to learn sportsmanship, communication, listening and teamwork.
Charlie Ferguson
The support the team shows one another is one of the Gators' strongest values. Charlie’s favorite aspect of coaching is witnessing the support shared between the estimated 150 swimmers.
“I really love to see how kids of all different ages interact with each other and cheer for each other,” says Charlie.
Mileva Fischer, known as Leva, became a Gator in first grade and is now in her 11th season.
Fischer is one of the many swimmers who have been on the team for years. Many swimmers, like Fischer and Charlie, transition to volunteering or coaching when they reach high school age.
“The Gators (are) like a family – everyone supports each other. Showing up to meets and having a coach who genuinely supports you and wants you to improve is the best feeling,” says Fischer. “It makes you want to put in the effort and follow their guidance.”
As swimmers progress through the season, coaches and teammates watch their confidence grow. This not only makes them better swimmers, but it carries over into their lives outside of the pool.
“I think seeing a kid that was afraid to go off the block and at the end of the season is now going off the block and seeing the sheer confidence, and the ‘I can do it now,’ that’s the kind of thing we (like to) see,” says Susan.
Rainbow ribbon
Olivia Decker
“I want to see (the swimmers) improve and do well, but I really just want (them) to go out there and do (their) best and have fun,” says Charlie.
To keep the focus on each athlete improving on an individual level, the rainbow ribbon was born. Each swimmer is awarded a ribbon when they reach a new milestone.
“We focus on personal best,” says Susan. “That’s the ribbon we want to focus on, personal best. Whether it’s a time improvement or they know how to do a flip turn.”
Korrigan Craddock is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
