WHO'S THAT IN THE WATER?

You never know what you might find if you walk into a swimming practice at Yorktown. And today, I found a very interesting situation as I arrived to give my daughter a ride home from practice.

Head coach Brad Grieshop and assistant club coach Andy Wallace were having some good natured fun, joking with the swimmers. Turns out Grieshop had bet Larah Beaver that he could swim a certain time in the 100-yard back--and if he did, Larah would have to agree to swim some 400-meter IM's during the summer long course season. The challenge was joined, and the race was on.

Grieshop put on his Speedo, I helped Wallace and Larah get out the touch pads and timing equipment, and we set up a little mini-meet. In the first event, Grieshop joined Ethan Leach, Caroline Grasso, and Alex Nickoli in the 100 back. Grieshop took advantage of the group's agreement to waive the 15-meter rule (which requires backstrokers to surface at that point) to swim most of his opening 25 underwater. Grieshop got to the 50 mark in a split of 28.92, and won the match race against his kids in 1:01.87. Larah congratulated her coach on nearly breaking her middle school record with that time. ;)

Just for the record, Leach was 2nd in 1:06.27, Nickoli was 3rd in 1:08.20, and Grasso was 4th in 1:09.33.

But the fun was far from over. Inspired by what they had just witnessed, several former Yorktown swimmers (who were putting in a workout during their college spring break) agreed to have an alumni race. Kenny Brown, Darik Hall and Wells Arwood couldn't resist the chance to test themselves (and each other). They waged a spirited battle in a 100-yard free, with Hall flashing glimpses of the strong strokes that once put his name on the school record board. Hall took top honors with a 51.03, with Arwood 2nd in 51.98 and Brown 3rd in 56.03.

Today's extravaganza has Grieshop thinking about returning to training in an effort to qualify for USA Swimming's Masters level National Meet. Wallace has also kicked that around (no pun intended) in recent days. Just for fun tonight, I looked up the qualifying times for U.S. Masters Swimming's upcoming Short Course Yards Nationals at Georgia Tech. The qualifying time in the 100 back in the men's 25-29 age group is 1:02.90. So way to go, Brad.

The road to Atlanta apparently begins at 1100 S. Tiger Drive in Yorktown, Indiana.

GO TIGERS!