Senior Night highlights unique swim and dive meet

Published 2:00 pm Friday, December 27, 2024

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The pool area and lap lanes at Winchester-Clark County Parks and Recreation’s facility at 15 Wheeler Avenue can be used by the general public during the day. 

During the evening of Wednesday, December 18, they played host to something else. 

On Senior Night, the George Rogers Clark High School swim and dive team competed against Frederick Douglass. 

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Not only that, but – for the first-time ever – the facility hosted a meeting of GRC’s first-year dive team. 

“We actually practice with Frederick Douglass here, and now we’re getting to swim against each other,” said GRC Head Swim Coach Ashleigh Richardson. “It’s fun…I’m excited to see how it plays out at the end.” 

The dive team – coached by former award-winning UK diver Kyndal Knight – featured several female divers. 

These included Betty Sutherland, Sophie Mullins, Kylie Neely, Cecilia Perry, Annabelle Fletcher, and Skylar Cockrell. 

Each competed in a series of dives – including a forward dive from the pike position and a reverse dive from the tuck position – and were assessed by a trio of judges on a score of one through six during six different rounds. 

“It’s so cool that diving is spreading. It’s such a small sport, and I wish every school could practice at their local pool with diving,” she said. “I think it’s just a huge opportunity….I get to share my love of diving with the younger generation, which…is awesome.” 

Knight expressed that much growth has also been seen in the athletes. 

“I’ve had one girl that came in not even knowing a front dive, and now she’s competing at this meet tonight,” she added. “I think it’s just so cool seeing athletes like that grow.” 

With the event taking place on Senior Night, one in particular – Libby Taylor – was recognized. 

Taylor, a long-time member of the team who will continue swimming at Centre College, even won her first event of the night – teaming with Marissa Thomas to take home first place in the girls’ 200-yard medley relay. 

“I’ve seen this team grow, taught people how to swim, [and] improve significantly,” Taylor said. “It’s been really amazing…a big part of high school.” 

Both the boys’ and girls’ squads competed in a number of additional swim events as well, including freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke. 

Competitors included Wyatt Allen, Owen McCann, Ethan Hatfield, Knox Taylor, Harper Sebulsky, Mollie Taylor, and many more. 

With the season nearing its conclusion, Richardson offered some additional thoughts. 

“I have so many unselfish kids that I’ve got at least two or three of them in every event,” she said. “It’s always fun to watch them race…I know they’re going to push and really race hard.”