More than 150 swimmers are expected to take the plunge Tuesday evening at Summit Family YMCA when it hosts a recreation swim meet as part of the West Georgia Swim League.
In addition to the Summit Titans, the West Georgia Swim Club from Douglasville, Fayetteville Plantation and Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton will compete in the event.
Swimming action begins at 6:30 p.m.
The Summit swim team is under the direction of Donna McCondichie who took over the program last summer after serving as an assistant coach under Buzz Kuhn.
McCondichie, who has taught swim lessons for more than a decade, is helping introduce novice swimmers to the pool through the local recreation swim team.
One of her duties last year was to create renewed interest the sport.
Five years ago, the West Georgia Swim League began with just 17 swimmers, but has now exploded to include eight neighborhood teams featuring swimmers of all abilities.
Meets are conducted in a more casual setting than at Georgia Recreation and Parks or U.S. Swimming sanctioned events.
David Weeks, who is the swim coach of the Carrollton Bluefins, started the league five years ago with the idea of exposing athletes to competitive swimming at a beginner level.
Swimmers can learn about the sport without having to put in all the hours required to compete at a higher level, and where having fun is more important that times or results.
“We just wanted to give swimmers a chance to find out if swimming is really for them,” he said. “There is a lot less stress in these events and things are run at a little more casual pace.”
Older swimmers can experience swim meets for the first time, or get reacquainted with the sport through the masters division.
Weeks likes the endless possibilities that are open to swimmers in this league.
“There are plenty of opportunities to learn about the sport, and this is a good place to start,” he said.
