By Cooper Zablocki

The Atlantic Flying Sharks swim team is sending 43 swimmers to the State swim meet on March 1-2 in Marshalltown, Iowa. Many Sharks have been to the State meet before. For others this is their first experience competing at the state level. The Sharks had an impressive Sectionals meet, sending a little over 84% of their swimmers to Marshalltown.

For many, getting to state is the accomplishment, but for Damon Miller, it’s only the start. Miller broke the state record last year for the boys 13-14 age division, 200 yard freestyle. He said this year he plans on winning that event again. He also stated that breaking that record this year will be a challenge, because of the different age division, but he’d like to try. Miller has been on swim team since the age of eight, and he plans to continue through his high school career as well.

Madelyn Kickland and Lindsay Keltch, are both planning to win most of their events. For Kickland, she’d like to get first in all of her events. Kickland’s dominant stroke is the freestyle. last year she placed first in the 200 yard freestyle and she also placed second in the 50 yard freestyle. Keltch on the other hand specializes in the Individual Medley or IM. Her goal is to break the state record this year in that event.

Kickland, Keltch, and Miller all started swimming at a very young age. They’ve been to state before and understand how to prepare. “You just have to focus on beating your last times from the meet before,” said Miller.

Next year, a swim team will be offered through the Atlantic High School. All three swimmers plan on swimming for both the school and the YMCA. The girls swim team will be during the fall and boys in the winter. Keltch said she’d liked to set tough records to beat for the school team, so the younger swimmers have something to look up to. Of course, going to state is a similar goal all three share for the school team.

When asked about their favorite moments on swim team, they all answered pretty quickly. For Keltch it was “breaking my times at Sectionals.” Kickland enjoys racing against her younger sister Mycala. The two only get to swim side-by-side every other year due to the age divisions. For Miller it was last years state meet where he broke the state record in the 200 yard free, quite the accomplishment.

It’s clear the swimmers have a true passion for the sport. They all intend on competing at a very high level in Marshalltown and they look forward to swimming for the Trojans. After State comes Regionals in Iowa City, March 8 and 9.