Summer swim season brings stars, newcomers to the pool

By now, Elliott Triplett rarely loses a swim race.

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But the 14-year-old hasn't always felt as confident as she does now after seven years competing in the CSRA Swim League.

"It was really scary stuff," she said of her first swim meet. "You're thinking about tripping and drowning.

"But you get in the water and do your best and everyone cheers for you," she added. "You just feel really good."

Triplett says she still feels nervous up on the block. But it hasn't held her back.

On Tuesday night, the Farmington/Northwood swimmer helped her Fins team score a 596-531 win over National Hills on the opening night of the summer swim season.

Triplett, a butterfly specialist, joined Andrew Fields, Tecie Sams, Nikki Messex, Dallin Tippett and Kevin Middlebrooks as triple winners for the home squad.

Last season, Triplett produced a long winning streak and had just a couple of runner-up finishes.

The CSRA Swim League brings together both experienced and inexperienced swimmers.

Sara Senterfitt had only practiced for two weeks prior to Tuesday's meet, her first as a member of the Farmington/Northwood team.

She was most excited for her freestyle events, but also swam butterfly.

"You don't have to get all upset because you're not going against somebody; you're going against your own time," the 13-year-old said. "It's not like the pressure's on you about trying to beat someone."

One benefit swimmers gain is competing against other youth from across the Augusta area. This meet, for example, pitted a team from Columbia County against one from Richmond County.

For the National Hills Hurricanes team, Lauren Giles, Trey Grant and Coleman Flemming came away with three wins each.

On the other end of the spectrum was 6-year-old Ran Martin.

He and his brother, 3-year-old Blake, are in their first year competing with National Hills.

Blake Martin wasn't quite ready for competition on Tuesday because he hasn't perfected the art of swimming without assistance, but his brother was entered in several events.

"They have been excited," their mother, Nancy Martin, said. "My (6-year-old), if he doesn't get to come to swim team because we have something else to do, it just breaks his heart."

Martin said she wanted her sons to get involved in the sport for many reasons.

"I wanted them to exercise this summer," she said. "It will keep them motivated. It will also give them good swimming skills, something I can't teach them."