Juniata Valley YMCA Stingrays never give up
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BURNHAM - Everyone has their own reasons for joining a sports team. Many people start playing football, basketball, baseball or another sport due to its national popularity.
Some people are drawn to certain sports because of the fame associated with the game. And some kids join sports simply because their friends do, and they view it as a social outing.
Swimming can certainly be a difficult sport to sell to parents or kids. Swimming isn't a sport that is commonly featured on SportsCenter. It doesn't always promise fame or fortune to its athletes - besides Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky - most people can't name one Olympic swimmer.
And above all else, swimming is a sport where the athletes have to be extremely devoted to experience the highest levels of success. So why then should kids join a swim team?
That's easy, just ask young Abigail Simpkins, who joined the Juniata Valley YMCA Stingrays Swim Club at least three years ago. She has become a champion of the sport, encouraging others to give swimming a try.
"I've always loved the water and, therefore, wanted to swim," the youngster explained. "It has improved my technique and my endurance immensely."
As one of the veteran swimmers on the Stingrays, Simpkins describes the team as "basically one big family."
For swimmers, like Simpkins, there are no other sports that show individual improvement quite like swimming. For so many kids, seeing something that is concrete, such as dropping time in an event, opens their eyes to how much better they've gotten. When they can see a measured improvement, it can become a huge confidence boost.
"It's hard, but fun," Simpkins added. "I tell myself I can do it and I listen to my coaches."
Simpkins' favorite event is the 500-yard swim because she likes competing the distance events as well as simply "the feeling of the water," she explained.
Her best sage advice, "Never give up. You are stronger than you think you are. Everyone will try to help you."
No matter where they stand - on the blocks or in the stands.
"I cheer them on and tell them that they can do it," Simpkins added.
And many of those teammates certainly did the same for Simpkins as many stayed to cheer her on during the 1,650-yard event, also known as the mile, which is 66 lengths of the YMCA pool.
Simpkins swam in this event, which is the last event of the swim meet, and many of her Stingray teammates stayed at the meet after all of their events were over so they could root her on.
"I thought that was cool," said Juniata Valley YMCA Executive Director Victoria Searer, who said the Stingrays have remained one of the YMCA's most popular activities over the years. The club serves several age groups: ages 13 to18 compete for the Stingrays; ages 9 to 12 for Stingers; and ages 8 and under for the Baby Rays.
Typically, the swim season begins in early November and runs through February. The Stingrays program has solid numbers of swimmers diving into the pool for years, while the Mifflin County High School swimming program has floundered. This year, a lack of numbers forced the cancellation of the season.
At some point, hopefully the Stingrays' success from a numbers standpoint will lead to better fortunes for the Huskies.
Easton Herb: Fast and the furious
Easton Herb signed up for the YMCA swim team six years ago because he wanted to try something different.
"It's made me a way faster and smoother swimmer," Herb said. "I also learned two strokes I didn't know."
The best part of being on the team for Herb is that he gets to swim with his friends. But it's not all fun and games as a typical practice consists of warm-ups, drills, conditioning, turns, diving and a cool down, Herb explained.
When times are tough in the pool, he draws motivation from his family and others.
"My mom motivates me to get through it," Herb added. "Also, the coaches and friends."
His favorite event is the 50-yard freestyle, but all the shorter events rank at the top of his list.
"I like the fast-paced sprint races," Herb said.
Despite being young, he has a set routine to prepare for swim meets: Eat a good breakfast, listen to music and get a good night's sleep.
When he isn't in the pool, he also remembers to support his teammates: To "cheer them on while they swim and congratulate them after."
As far as advice for anyone new joining the ranks of the swim team, Herb offers some sage advice, "(Coach) A.J. (Aaron Shepherd) is tough, but he just wants to make you better."
Grace Flood: Hope for the best
Grace Flood has been a Stingray for five years. Like the others, she had a list of sports to pick from and chose swimming.
So far, she'll tell you she made the right choice. "I learned how to swim really fast and I improved my strokes," Flood said of how the swim team improved her skillset.
The best part of swimming is "you get to make friends and you get to spend a lot of time with them."
When it comes to staying motivated, that's not a problem for this young swimmer because "I just push through and hope for the best."
Like others, Flood also has a routine when it comes to preparing for meets. "I pack five towels in my backpack the night before, I wake up at 6:50 and leave."
As an ambassador for the program, she offers wisdom for prospective swimmers: "Practice. Have fun," Flood explained.
And, of course, between events, she never forgets her teammates in the pool. "I cheer for them," Flood said.
Ryann Reigle: Focus on getting faster
Ryann Reigle has always been a good swimmer, but three years ago that meant joining the swim team. "It has made me more precise with my stroke, and I am a lot faster than when I first started," Reigle said.
The best part of being a member of the swim team is being with friends. A typical practice for her is "an hour and a half of focusing on technique and speed."
The motivation is easy for Reigle whose focus is to "keep trying to improve my times to make it to districts."
As far as events go, the 50-yard freestyle ranks as Reigle's favorite. "I try to keep getting faster to beat my previous times."
As far as preparing for meets, Reigle's approach is simple: "I think about what strokes I am going to swim and how I can improve on my times."
Prospective swimmers just have to give swimming a chance - no matter the tough times. "It's hard," Reigle said. "Just keep practicing, so you can do your best."
Cheering on teammates is also a must, Reigle said, "Give them encouragement and cheer for each other."
Theo Wieseman: Passing on swim genes
Young Theo Wieseman joined the swim team five years ago because he comes from a family with other swimmers.
"I like to swim," Wieseman recalled. "My mom was a part of a swim team and suggested I try the swim team at the YMCA."
It’s a decision he was glad he made. So far Weisman has improved his skills in the pool dramatically, especially his endurance.
"When I first started swimming on the swim team, it was a challenge to swim two lengths of the pool, but now I am able to swim the 500, which is 20 lengths of the pool," Wieseman said. "Also, I have learned to set goals for myself, and I have more confidence in myself."
The best part of the swim team for Wiesman is a common answer: "I like swimming with my teammates and cheering on my teammates during the swim meets," he added.
A typical practice for him starts with a warm up then three or four sets. At the end of practice, Wiesman will sometimes work on his starts and turns then do a cool down.
"I motivate myself during a tough practice with the help and encouragement of my fellow teammates," he explained.
His favorite event is not surprisingly his best event: 100-yard breaststroke.
"I make sure to work hard at practice," Wieseman said, sharing the secret of his success to others. "The night before the swim meet, I usually will eat a dinner of pasta, get my swim bag ready and get a good night's rest."
He also said it's important to support and encourage teammates during a meet. "I will stand at either end of the pool and cheer them on," Wieseman added.
And for newcomers, he cautions, "I would tell the person to try his or her best and not to give up when it gets hard."
Shepherd: Coaching at Y since 2017
Since Aaron "AJ" Shepherd, 47, started coaching at the Y in 2017, he and his staff have been trying to build the excitement for swimming at the high school meets from a young age.
"We have a higher number of middle and junior high school numbers that are planning on continuing swimming through high-school age," said Shepherd, a southeastern Pennsylvania native.
Since he started, the size of the Y swim team has increased in numbers and has plateaued. There are 38 swimmers on the team this year, ranging in age from 6 to 17.
Practices are held four days per week for their season, which starts in December and runs through February. The postseason usually starts in March, with the district meet.
The Juniata Valley program is the southernmost program in the 10-team CENKEY YMCA Swim League, which spans westward to Clarion County and northward to Ridgway and East Lycoming. The other programs are located in Bellefonte, Brookville, Clearfield, DuBois, River Valley and State College.
"Growing more successful each and every year, we had seven kids qualify for the Y district meet in the spring," Shepherd said. "Each season our kids continue to drop time and master their skills."
He asks for patience and perseverance from Y officials, parents and swimmers. "Greatness takes time," Shepherd explained. "Swimming is all about the relationship with the water and making it work for you."
That's the way he was taught by his YMCA coach, Chic McKnelly. "He always believed in me," Shepherd said. "Patient man who taught me the fundamentals of swimming and how to execute races."
He swam at the Southern Chester County YMCA in high school and Shippensburg University in college. As far as coaching goes, Shepherd has guided his Y programs since high school, along with the Florida Atlantic swim team, Kennett Area YMCA, Kennett High School, Arundel Swim Club, Juniata Valley YMCA and formerly for Mifflin County High School.
When he started at the Juniata Valley YMCA, Shepherd's first focus was on "building the relationships with the athletes and watching them develop into their top form."
His most memorable achievements or milestones as a coach aren't about winning trophies or titles. It's simple: "Anytime an athlete qualifies for the next big meet, be it nationals, districts or states, and seeing them shine," he said.
The most rewarding part of coaching for him is connecting with the community. His goals for the YMCA program are not surprising. Shepherd has his sights on the continual growth of the Stingrays.
"Grow into a year-round program," he said. "Get kids to the Y state meet and national meet."
Volunteers are all in the family
Besides Shepherd, the Stingrays have three other coaches: Assistants Chris Uhlig and Sarah Wieseman and volunteer Brian Simpkins.
Uhlig has been coaching for two years, while Wieseman served for the past three years.
Both have swimming backgrounds as Uhlig swam for the State College YMCA and Wieseman at Millersville University.
Although Simpkins does not have a background in swimming, he brings a unique perspective to the program as all five of his kids are on the team. "Brian and his wife Kara go above and beyond all swim season long for our swim team. They volunteer and help coach as well as setting up and running the home swim meets."
Whether it was his kids or others, Simpkins was inspired to become a coach by spending time with amazing young swimmers and making sure that they learn to love the sport.
He shares the same goal to see the team and program continue to grow. "I want to see us swim in larger meets and host some larger meets to show how incredible our facilities are," Simpkins explained.