Kings County club reborn

William Calhoun launching Seahawks this fall

They’re back… and Calhoun’s doing.

The former Charlottetown Bluephins and UPEI Panthers head swimming coach has made it his calling to lift the Montague Seahawks swimming club, defunct since 2010, out of the ashes.

And Calhoun, manager of the Town and County Aquatic Plus (TCAP) facility in Montague, has done just that when the club flies out of the rubble as the newly minted Kings County Seahawks this fall offering competitive swimming and synchronized swimming for athletes five- to 18-years-old.

“Getting the club up and running again was a priority for myself when I took over,” said Calhoun who began at TCAP in October 2016. “Essentially the reason I got the job was my history with running aquatic programs for 20-plus years.” it’s William

Calhoun played a key role with a successful Bluephins program and the renewed UPEI swimming club from 2009-2015. But those doors closed and left him available for TCAP to snap him up.

Launch for the Seahawks is Sept. 26, but Calhoun will offer free trial sessions Sept. 19 and 21, and Calhoun will be available for assessments during the days to see which discipline a potential member might be better suited.

Calhoun hopes to draw throughout Kings County from Souris to St. Peters Bay and Murray River, and said the swimmers who join the club have options, too.

“Swimmers can specialize on one team or do both. It’s very open-ended and will allow the most people to participate as possible,” he said. “We’re looking at the whole eastern seaboard of the Island and the northeastern seaboard to get people interested as well.”

Calhoun is also realistic. He doesn’t expect the swimmers to be ready for meets right away, although will get an athlete to competitive events if the swimmer shows promise.

For now swimmers will work inter-club and local events. He’s targeted the fall of 2018 when the club teams should be ready for regional fare.

Part of Calhoun’s push for the club was building its foundation and he’s fired up for the club’s initial session.

“I get to set policies and direction of the team from the getgo. It will definitely be exciting when I step on the pool deck for the first practice.”

New TCAP offerings include a masters program for swimmers 18 and older, and swimming lessons featuring the Red Cross Learn to Swim program.

For more information about the club, including costs, contact Calhoun and TCAP at 902838-3429 or tcapmanager@ gmail.com.