TAHS swim team makes a splash

By Rhett Everhart

Coached by Tom Getz, the 2012 TAHS swim team has more swimmers than it has had in years.

With four new swimmers from Tyrone and four new swimmers from Bellwood, along with the returning swimmers from Tyrone and Bellwood, the TAHS swim team now has17 swimmers total.

The girls team has eight swimmers and the boys team has nine members.

Bellwood students come to swim on the TAHS team because Bellwood doesn’t offer swimming as a winter sport.

“We will always gladly take students from Bellwood who want to swim, because the team needs the numbers, and they are a good addition to the team,” Coach Getz, said.

Kayla Barony, senior, is one of the girl’s team’s captains, along with senior, Jennie Kobuck.

This is Barony’s fourth and final year swimming for TAHS, having started in 2008; she strongly encourages new swimmers to join the sport because it is an endurance sport and the meets are a lot of fun.

“The team looks decent this year because the new team members have shown significant improvement, and I believe they will continue to improve,” Barony said.

Barony’s favorite event to swim is the 200 yard relay because she likes the competition and the fact that the event is very fast paced.

“My goal for this season is to qualify for districts because it is my last year, and I think I might have a shot at it,” Barony said. “My times have improved since the beginning of the season.”

Jarame Parson, junior, is a returning swimmer from Bellwood.

This is Parson’s second year swimming on the TAHS team. Parson joined the team last year with the persuasion of a friend who wanted him to try swimming.

“I will keep coming back to this sport because the team is fast and competitive, and the sport is very competitive. Also I like the people I meet through the sport, and they push me to achieve my goals,” Parson said.

Parson’s favorite event to swim is the 50 yard freestyle because he likes that it is an all out sprint and it’s fast.

“My goal for this season was to qualify for districts, which I already did in the 50 freestyle, thanks to my friends pushing me,” Parson said.

Alyssa Brisbin, junior, has been on the TAHS team for, three years.

Brisbin started swimming in the fourth grade with the Hollidaysburg YMCA and has been swimming ever since.

“I like swimming because it is a sport where you can both compete with yourself, and as a team, and I will be returning next year for my last year, just because it is fun,” Brisbin said.

Brisbin’s goal for the season is to qualify for districts and beat her times from previous years.

“The new team members are looking like they are showing improvement, and I strongly encourage students who have not tried the sport before, to try it. Students need to realize that swimming is not as easy as everyone thinks and it is a good workout. In the future I would like to see many new members to the team because our small numbers tend to hurt us in meets,” Getz, said.