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Dec. 8, 2011
by Rachel Sincell Vecchioni
The Manta Ray Swim Team is approaching its 30th year of operation, with the team finally able to call the pool at the new Community Aquatic and Recreation Complex (CARC) on the campus of Garrett College its home site. Not only does the CARC provide a permanent home for the team, but it has allowed it to become a true year-round competitive team, rather than a recreational league summer team, as it has always been.
It has been quite a struggle the last two years, as the team has survived the closing of the Alpine Lake Resort pool in Terra Alta, W.Va., as well as the Kingwood (W.Va.) City Pool. Both facilities were unable to accommodate the team’s needs. The team then turned to the Wisp Resort, where the pool is not quite the standard length for competition – 25 yards – creating an issue with accurate times and endurance needed to perform well at competitions.
As a former 10-year member of the Manta Rays, I am delighted that kids are still offered the opportunity to participate in a sport that teaches so much more than how to swim faster than the guy in the lane beside you. Each of us had the support of the entire team behind us, as well as many influential adults who made what we did possible.
“While it is obvious that the Manta Rays are involved in helping swimmers to swim fast, that is not the only purpose behind the coaching team’s goals for the Manta Ray athletes,” noted current head coach Dusty Huxford. “As a coaching team, we are far more interested in using the sport of swimming for teaching life skills, such as self-esteem, self-reliance, confidence, respect, and team pride.
The team began in 1982, with Paula Briggs wanting to give children a structured and healthy lifestyle during the early summer months. The team held practices under Briggs and her assistant George Collins for four years at the Wisp Resort pool, with only 14 swimmers participating. Vicky Skipper succeeded as coach from 1986 to 1988, with the team moving practices to Alpine Lake Resort.
Coaches who followed were Joanne Graybill from 1988 to 1997, Nan Gangler from 1997 to 2006, Connie Gibson in 2009, Krista Hollingsworth in 2010, and Huxford beginning in the summer of 2011. The years not documented were headed by a team of coaches.
“The team concept gave the swimmers the opportunity to work, play, and cheer for each other as they refined their strokes and improved their times,” commented Graybill. “A lot of time, expertise, dedication, energy, and effort were shared not only by myself but by the volunteer assistant coaches who worked with me over my 10-year tenure as head coach. Their dedication helped to make kids feel good about themselves and their swimming skills.”
The Manta Rays leverage a strong parent volunteer base in conjunction with a set of coaches. This allows non-water related duties to be completed by the parents, while the coaches concentrate on specific strengths for the benefit of the team as a whole. Several student assistants volunteer to help the team as well. They are always under the direction of the coaches and are usually in the water assisting swimmers in learning the strokes.
More here.
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