Sandpoint to host Pumpkin Power Swim Meet

| November 4, 2009 8:00 PM

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint West Athletic Club and the Inland Northwest chapter of United States Masters Swimming (USMS) are hosting the Pumpkin Power Swim Meet on Saturday, Nov. 14. All Masters swimmers — persons 18 and older — are invited to come join the fun.

The 50,000 or so swimmers registered in the country with USMS are regionally divided into Local Masters Swimming Committees (LMSC), and then into smaller clubs and workout groups. The Inland Northwest LMSC includes groups from Wenatchee, the Tri-Cities, Lewiston, Moscow, Pullman, Moses Lake, Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Sandpoint.

Several meets a year are held across the region; for purposes of competition swimmers are divided into five year age groups. Events ranging in distance from 50 meters to 200 meters in butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle, and backstroke can be swum. Gluttons for punishment can also swim either 400 or 800 meter freestyle events.

The Sandpoint representative for Inland Northwest Masters swimming, Robin Helm, promises lots of fun at the swim meet.

“Come, swim. Meets are about setting goals for oneself, and meets are about participating,” says Helm. “We don’t compete against one another as much as we simply try to see how well we can swim and how much fun we can have.”

She also notes that the first Sandpoint swimmer to have signed up for the Pumpkin Power Meet is 78 year-old Annette Orton.

“She’s even swimming the 50 meter butterfly. Now, that’s participation,” says Helm.

Mike Brosnahan works with motivated swimmers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. It is often grueling and challenging, but it is exciting to set goals to improve our stokes and whittle away at our race times. Mike works hard with us to help us meet our individual potential. He is so good at what he does, adds Helm.

Registration forms for the swim meet are available at SWAC, and include information on signing up with USMS. Swimmers with questions about the meet or USMS may call Robin Helm at 255-7360 or Mike Brosnahan at SWAC at 263-6633.