Piranhas swim in Hamilton

The Plains Piranhas Swim Team had only one day of practice before they took off to compete in Hamilton last weekend. Most of them qualified Saturday for the final competition Sunday, but none placed in the top three spots.

Nevertheless, their new coach, Jack Couch, said they did the best they could with very limited training. The team could not get into the E.L. Johnson Memorial Pool in Plains for practice until Thursday because of a faulty heater, said team board member Mariah Corbin.

"A lot of the kids beat their own times from Saturday and that's great," said Couch, who used to compete on the Bitterroot Swim Team. "I couldn't be more proud of them," he added.

Coach Couch, however, believes his team will be much more ready for the next meet this Saturday at Chester. He said they'll be training two hours a day all this week.

This is the first time since the early 1990s that the team's head coach is also a competitor. The 18-year-old Couch, a Hamilton resident, was looking for a position as an assistant coach when he heard from a friend that Plains didn't have a head coach. Kirk Frye, who has coached the Plains and Hamilton teams, is assisting Couch this year. Couch has made it to state competition each year he was on the River Rats team.

There are a dozen members on the Plains team this year – nine girls and three boys – ranging from age 8-18. Only Whitepine resident Cooper Milne and Lucy Privett of Plains are new to the Piranhas this season. Cree Lulack and Kaylee Cole are the most senior members, each with six years on the team. All but Milne is from Plains.

At this point, Couch said he's concentrating more at the team members' form, breathing technique and endurance. "I'm not worried about speed now; that'll come later," said Couch. To get them conditioned, Couch has been having them do calisthenics and training out of the pool prior to the pool opening.

The team has eight meets, including the Plains-hosted meet on July 7-8. The team missed the first two competitions because the pool was down. Divisionals are scheduled for July 28-29 at Choteau. The state competition will be held in Conrad Aug. 4-5.

The Plains Piranhas will also be hosting its annual "Sidekick Pie & Ice Cream Social at the pool on Tuesday, July 24, at 7 p.m., said Plains Swim Team President Gennifer Deschamps. In the sidekick fundraiser, a team swimmer picks a community member as a partner. Together they get pledges for the number of laps they do. Deschamps said a person can pledge a certain amount for each lap or a flat amount. The sidekick swimmers can swim any stroke or strokes, she added. "The kids have fun with it and it's good to reach out to the community," said Deschamps. The fundraiser includes a pie sale. People can purchase whole pies or by the slice. The event helps the team pay for gas to get to the meets, many which are far away, and for equipment and to pay for the coach's salary.