Competition is back at the Wes Snapp Aquatic Center. The Turners Falls boys and girls swim teams kicked off the winter season with their first practice on Monday.
After a brief period of team-building exercises, it was into the pool for the athletes. The swimming didn’t stop from there. A white board listed the lengthy itinerary for the teams’ first training session. Water bottles were close to the pool for winded swimmers.
The Thunder have a solid number in their co-op this season with 35 swimmers. As the season approaches the number could grow closer to 40.
“It’s good to see some kids are sticking around,” Turners Falls coach Abby Heathwaite said.
Heathwaite begins her second season with the Thunder. Last year she missed the beginning of the season due to her college graduation at Coastal Carolina.
“I feel a lot more prepared for the season,” Heathwaite said. “I love these kids. They were so helpful last year.”
Liam Bliss, Lillian Walker-Hanning and Mario Pareja are the captains for the Thunder. Bliss specializes in breast stroke and freestyle sprint events. Whatever the event, Bliss can compete with anybody.
“I could throw him literally anywhere and he would blow everyone out of the water,” Heathwaite said. “He’s insane.”
Bliss made it all the way to state competition last year. At the Western Mass. meet, Bliss placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle event.
“This year I am hoping to do better, obviously,” Bliss said. “I am hoping to take first place at Western Mass. I have been training all summer.”
Bliss put in some work outside the pool over the summer and fall to prepare for his senior season. Activities included rock-climbing, running and hitting the weights.
“Just getting ready to take on this last year,” Bliss said. “Most of the offseason is weight lifting and a lot of outdoor activities.”
With a lot of new swimmers in the water at Turners Falls, Bliss does have some assistant coaching duties in the early practices.
“It’s definitely going to be different for me,” Bliss said. “I am better with more advanced teaching but I feel like it will be good for me to learn to go straight to the basics and build up from ground zero for other people.”
Walker-Hanning specializes in the 100-yard breaststroke. A clear goal for Walker-Hanning is making it to state competition in her specialty event.
“That’s the one I’ve been trying to get my goal time in the past four years,” Walker-Hanning said.
After dealing with some injuries due to running cross country in the past, Walker-Hanning looks forward to a healthy senior season with the Thunder.
“I am working on enjoying my senior year,” Walker-Hanning said. “I had a 1:17 in breaststroke and I am shooting for state and regional time this year which is 1:16 so we’ll see if I can get that this year.”
Walker-Hanning moved from North Carolina last year.
“I jumped into a new team and didn’t know a lot of people,” Walker-Hanning said. “But they welcomed me with open arms. I love the team. They were so welcoming when I came here. I jumped in and felt like I was part of a family which was really great. It doesn’t feel like a challenge anymore and I am excited to see where we go this year.”
Alice Fortin just missed qualifying for states last season in the 50-freestyle. Heathwaite has confidence that Fortin will hit that goal this season.
“I think it clicked in that last meet,” Heathwaite said. “She really understood exactly how to put mind and body into it and really get going.”
Jade Walker-Hanning is a young swimmer to watch in breast stroke events.