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By Kristen Camp
Valley Voices Staff Writer
Within the past two years, swim clubs have formed in two Hamilton County high schools: at Signal Mountain in 2008 and at Ooltewah this past October.
Swimming is not recognized as a team sport by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, but swimmers can compete in meets governed by the Tennessee Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association.
"It seems like there isn't much of a difference to me. I basically joined the club because of friends. ... We've gotten to be really close after spending time together constantly," said Ooltewah junior Rachel Dance.
The club focuses on enjoying the experience and improving the individual times of each swimmer, rather than the outcome of the whole team, said coach Ken Buchannan.
Ooltewah's 19 members practice at Fit One Gym on Mountain View Road every day after school.
Each member of the Signal Mountain Club is responsible for getting in individual practice time with local USA Swimming affiliates, such as the Baylor Swim Club and Scenic City Aquatic Club.
"It's hard to get an idea of how often the kids are training," said Signal Mountain coach Will Hunt. "You end up finding out the hard way when kids can't hold on at the end of races at a meet, but by then it's too late."
Both high school and middle school students are members of the Signal Mountain club.
The 18 swimmers and three divers in middle school compete at a local level. They placed fourth overall at the Middle School Meet Championship out of 40 teams from Tennessee and Georgia.
Allison Vargo, Samantha Vargo, Sarabeth King and Lindsey Limerick, all of Signal Mountain High School, also competed in the Tennessee State High School Swimming and Diving Championships in Nashville.
Kristen Camp is a student at Red Bank High School.