Gregg McQueen

It's a great opportunity this year for the swim team at Freeport High School. "They swam independent before," says Coach Gregg McQueen, who organizes the meets. Freeport decided to let the swimmers compete as a team for the school this year. Before, the independent swimmers swam in the name of the school, and only one in each event could qualify for WPIALS.

It meant one year a Freeport swimmer who was only milliseconds behind another Freeport swimmer could not qualify. McQueen says they "can now take a relay team and more than one can qualify."

Swimming as a team already has helped the swimmers. "It's a different atmosphere this year," McQueen explains. "Before, they swam exhibition against no one. This year, they compete against good swimmers. They're getting better. Everybody on the team has qualified for the WPIALs. That's a great accomplishment."

Individual swimmers' points add up for a team win. The Freeport swimmers usually take firsts and seconds at meets, but the team does not have enough swimmers to win a meet.

With a team made up of five girls and two boys, McQueen notes, "It's a small team we have. It's a first year, and we need more kids. We need more interest [among school students] in swimming."

It's just one more challenge in the inaugural year of a new team, and swimming brings its own special batch of difficulties.

"It's very tough. Swimming is not an easy sport; you have to be committed to it. It's a lifetime sport," he says. "With no pool, the swimmers have to go swim with YMCA teams. You have to practice on your own and at other schools' pools. It's how Mars and Knoch both started their swim programs."

But Gregg thinks the Freeport crew is up to the challenge.

"They're a committed bunch of swimmers. They practice, and have really good times in their events. "It's very competitive."

Gregg McQueen describes Freeport's new swim team in the video at alle-kiskitoday.com.