Swim team has a blend of youth and experience
Kat Opalka and Logan Victor cross paths during swim team practice at the Wave last week.
The Columbia Falls swim team is hoping for good things this season, with 15 swimmers hitting the waters this season. While numbers are down a bit, the swimmers are a dedicated bunch and working hard, coach Amy Caudill said.
The Wildcats have six boys and nine girls on the team. They’ll look for good things from Teagan Bates, Kat Opalka, Sadie and Kensley Cheff just to name a few. They also look for good things from Mya Badger, who was on the squad last season and was also a standout cross country athlete for the Wildcats last fall.
Last season Sadie Cheff took third in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 100 freestyle at the state A meet.
Caudill said she also hopes for good things from freshman Kat Opalka.
The Wildcats lost five swimmers to graduation and one, Connor Keith, moved away.
The boys took third overall last season at the state meet. Bates was fifth in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the state meet last season.
The squad opens the season Dec. 14 in Kalispell at the Summit. An addition to the schedule is a dual with Whitefish Jan. 31.
Both teams practice at The Wave in Whitefish and the schedule is a tough one for athletes, as they can’t get any pool time until 7:45 p.m., so practice doesn’t end until about 9:30 p.m., making for a long day.