Beaver Area took a bold step (or is that “dive”?) in the revitalization of the swim program by establishing a swim and dive club.

Essentially replacing pre-season, the new swim and dive club aims to improve athletes' technique and endurance, as well as providing new swimmers a chance to see if they want to join the team when the time comes.

The program also serves to set up a sort of feeder program for the team, allowing younger students not in high school to participate.

The average attendance per clinic is about thirty swimmers and divers, easily filling all six lanes of the pool, with the swimmers hitting the pool for 90 minutes Monday nights, Wednesday nights, and Saturday mornings.

Students new to the swim team have positive impressions of both the program and the team itself, with sophomore Taylor Roberts believing that the club is better preparing her for the actual season.

"I would absolutely not want to start on the team without being in the club first," Roberts said.

Even veteran swimmers who have been on the team their entire time in high school think that the club is helping them become better swimmers.

"It’s not nearly as intense [as in-season practices], so I can better focus on my technique," said senior swimmer Alec Nachman.

The club also functions as a sort of social jumping-off point for new swimmers to be introduced to others on the team.

"It looks like the team is pretty close and just has a lot of good vibes in general. It’s very encouraging and open to newcomers," said junior Jacob Larson, who hasn’t been on the team before.

So far, coach Marc Williams is impressed with the club’s results.

"This year, just two weeks into club swim, the team is where it was at four weeks into regular season. We'll be in a much better position for the season than last year," Williams said.

Looks like the team's season of ripping and dipping through the water is starting off . . . swimmingly. (Sorry.)