No girls at swim team practice
There were no girls at swim team practice on Tuesday, and the 5- to 6-year-olds seemed happy about that. Before they ran off for a few minutes of free time, a spontaneous cheer went up, “No girls, no girls.”
It was just a coincidence, Coach Lisa Richards said. There are girls who usually attend the five- and six-year-old practice. They just all happened to miss that day.
The Bella Vista Stingrays just wrapped up another successful season. The swim team is open to residents from 5 to 18 as long as they can swim 25 yards. They usually have five meets over six weeks. In order to make it easier for Bella Vistans with visiting grandchildren, there are actually two three-week sessions, but many swimmers attend both.
Richards separates her swimmers according to age, with the oldest group, 11 to 18, first thing in the morning.
“We make it enjoyable, but it’s not all fun,” Richards said.
They also work hard at practices.
Swimming, she explained is an individual sport practiced with a group.
“It’s all about improving your personal best,” she said.
She enjoys working with the beginners at any age. She loves seeing them grow into good swimmers. Most years, she helps one or two of her young students find their passion for swimming. There are year-round teams they can join if they want to swim that much. The closest team practices at the Bentonville Community Center. She would love to see a large indoor pool in the Kingsdale complex so the Stingrays could become a year-round team.
Most years she has a couple of teenagers who sign up because they plan to enter one of the military academies and they need to be able to swim.
In the shade, watching the fiveand six-year-olds practice, other parents agreed with Stefani Kees that the young swimmers have gained confidence over the summer. They’ve also worked towards perfecting a couple of strokes. Six-year-old Preston Kees said his favorite stroke is the backstroke.