BY JOHN LUND
Times-Shamrock Writer
Members of the Elk Lake swimming team take off from the board during a pre-season practice.
The Elk Lake boys’ and girls’ swimming teams both field smaller squads this season, but new head coach Marion Austin is hopeful that the hard work and dedication that she’s already seen will lead to significant results in the pool this year.
Austin takes the reigns over from Ed Murach and will be assisted by diving coach Jim Phillips, as well as her daughter, Courtney, who will help with the age group program at Elk Lake and was a state qualifier as a swimmer for Tunkhannock Area High School almost a decade ago.
“What we’ve all noticed is that even though we’re a small team, we have a group of very hard workers,” Austin said. “You give them a workout and it’s like you have to kind of haul them back so they take their rest. They want to just keep going, which is great to see.”
Because of lower numbers, the Elk Lake program also fields students from Montrose, much like the Meteors football team fields players from Elk Lake.
“It’s unique to us and I think it’s a nice added feature to our team,” Austin said.
The girls’ team is coming off a 3-6 record and will be without four seniors from last year’s team, but it returns seniors Leah OFalt and Rebecca Phillips. Senior Jenny VanEtten, who may not be able to swim because of injuries suffered in car accident last year, will serve as a team manager.
“We have all of our returning swimmers from last season and a good strong group,’ Austin said. “We graduated a good group of seniors that were a very strong core to the team, but I think what they passed down to their remaining teammates is going to be significant with how they work out this year. I’m looking for some very good competition from them.”
The boys’ team, in a way, is the complete opposite.
The Warrior, who went 1-7-1 last year, lost two seniors and have four returners, but many members of the team will be new swimmers this season.
“I can’t say enough about the hard work ethic of the four returning swimmers,” Austin said. “The boys are talking to their teammates and trying to get their own classmates to come out to swim because they want a good program and it’s something very important to them. Many of the kids are also cross country runners so that itself shows the work ethic they have already coming in to the program, and we expect that to continue with us.”
Austin has had her team focused on the basics during the first weeks of practice while working on getting both teams to gel in the pool.
“We’ve been working on technique and focusing on strong technique while teaching the new swimmers the basics,” she said. “The speed will come with that, and their hard work ethic will also help.”
Austin feels that both teams will have strong relay teams, something that will help develop each swimmer’s individual skills as well.
“Each swimmer will be vying for that top spot in that top relay team, so I think that will help push them to make them a better relay team,” she said. “Rebecca (Phillips) is also a good, solid diver so we’re expecting more team points in that even to help in the girls’ meets.”
Both teams have also spent a chunk of the offseason training on dry land as well as in the pool.
“We starting doing more dry land workouts last year and we noticed that we didn’t end up having as many injuries,” Austin said. “I enjoy working out with the team too, so when they see the coaching staff working hard with them, they tend to push themselves a little harder.”
With hard work, Austin is hopeful that both her teams will be competitive in the Northern Division of the Wyoming Valley Conference, and that her swimmers don’t sell their overall goals short this season.
“When we’re talking goals, I always ask them to set their goals and standards very high,” Austin said, “because if you don’t, you’ll only push yourself to a level of comfort. Our goal is to swim out of that comfort zone to be better.”
A full roster is below, with Montrose swimmers designated with ‘MA.’
Joining Phillips and Ofalt on the girls’ team are senior Emma Washo (MA) and Keeley Carney; juniors Adrianna Parrett, Audra Everitt (MA), Rebecca Sisson and Kira Karpov (MA); sophomores Louise Thompson (MA), Miranda Decker, Kaylie Grosvenor and Cami Perry (MA); and freshman Lydia OFalt.
On the boys’ team are junior Chase Orlandini; sophomores Michael Pettit, Cole Orlandini, Zach Mead (MA) and Owen Brewer (MA); and freshmen Nathan Grosvenor, Justin Grosvenor, Austin Dolaway (MA), Romey Washo (MA) and Brett Carney.
Schedule:
Dec. 9, Abington Heights, A, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 16, Holy Cross, H, 4:30 p.m.W
Dec. 18, Athens, H, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 6, Dunmore, A, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 13, Scranton, H, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 14, Athens, H, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 20, West Scranton, A, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 23, Athens, A, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 27, Scranton Prep, A, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30, Towanda, A, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 3, Wallenpaupack, H, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 6, Ray Wills Diving Invitational at Wyoming Valley West, TBA.
Feb. 7, Ray Wills Inviational Meet at Wyoming Balley West, TBA.
Feb. 10, Delaware Valley, A, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 17, Valley View, H, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 21, Diving Districts at the Wilkes-Barre CYC, TBA.
Feb. 27, Swimming Districts at the Wilkes-Barre CYC, TBA.
Feb. 28, Swimming Districts at the Wilkes-Barre CYC, TBA.
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