Story and photos by Angie Baldelomar
Swimmers from the Northwest Kansas Swim League participated in the first swim meet in Oberlin’s new pool on Saturday.
Beginning early in the morning, the teams, along with their families, settled their tents and themselves into City Park. The tents became the place for swimmers and families to rest between races and get some cover from the sun, though it was not in full force for most of the morning. As the day went on, the clouds started to dissipate for a few hours around lunch time, but it remained a dim day.
A concession stand, run by the swim club, kept the hundreds of people attending the meet well fed throughout the day, especially during lunch time. From burgers to hot dogs to brownies and donuts as dessert, the swim club made sure to offer variety in the food they provided. For something refreshing, the music department sold snow cones, and bottled waters were given out to the people in the pool area.
Those from the cities participating in the meet, including Burlington, Wray, Flagler and Holyoke in Colorado, and Colby, Goodland, Oakley and Oberlin in Kansas, gathered around the pool to watch their children compete. In the stands, on the south side near the football stadium, families cheered on the swimmers while they waited their turn.
Coaches were moving around the pool area, making sure their swimmers were ready and giving them the last pep talks before the race. They congratulated them and showed their support after every race as well.
In between races, some swimmers dribbled a ball in the nearby basketball court while some of the smaller children enjoyed the playground.
This story and the pictures accompanying it were published on page 1B of The Oberlin Herald‘s print edition on June 29, 2016.
Angie Baldelomar 