Sea Dragons Swim Team

Competition Meets Need

“We saw a need for a recreational swim team for young swimmers,” shared CCPR aquatics supervisor Alexandra Box. “Locally, there are intense programs that focus on the future professional swimmer, and there are neighborhood swim teams. There weren’t any opportunities for those youth who didn’t have neighborhood swim teams accessible to them but still wanted to enjoy competition.”

For over a decade, CCPR’s Sea Dragons swim team has been offering a fun, rec league for swimmers who want to meet new friends, experience the success of being part of a team, enjoy competition, and hone and improve their swim skills. The team boasts swimmers ages 5 through 14 who can swim the length of the pool unassisted.

“It’s been a privilege to coach Sea Dragons the last three years and motivate our swimmers to be their best while fostering a passion for the sport,” said current swim coach Richard Reinsch.

Swim Basics Lead to Future Sea Dragons

For most Sea Dragons, the love of water began by taking basic swim lessons at the Monon Community Center (MCC). Many of the team’s coaches and mentors are MCC aquatics swim instructors or CPR trained lifeguards who make great teachers first and foremost. They can spot potential team members and encourage all beginning swimmers to move to the next step with a community- and encouragement-based approach to competitive team swimming.

“I’ve often seen our Sea Dragons coaches and mentors in the water with the team swimmers working 1:1 with them to better their swimming skills,” added Box. “They are keeping it fun while pushing them to be the best they can be. While many of our coaches have the love of water and have a personal connection to swimming, the prerequisite for a coach isn’t always their own swimming experience but their ability to connect with the swimmers and be good listeners and teachers.”

Box shared that ultimately the goal is to teach survival skills in the water and to create safe swimmers. The team is a fun place to put those swim skills to work where swimmers make new friends and become part of a swim community. She also smiles and shares that there might be a ribbon or trophy along the way.

“I’d really love to see an army of 5-year-olds ready to dive in and begin competition when we start this winter season,” Box said. “The team is a wonderful place for young kids to enjoy swimming as a sport and to feel the joy of community and teamwork. As a priority, we want to help swimmers of all ages become confident in both their swimming and social skills.