Estacada High School dove into the deep end this year, fielding its first ever Ranger swim team.
“There was a push from some kids, ‘hey we want to swim,’” said Andrew Mott, Estacada High School’s athletic director about launching the new swim team.
Seven swimmers, both boys and girls, signed up and regularly practiced after school at the Reynolds Middle School pool in Gresham.
“It’s been great,” said swim team captain Marleigh Hulsey.
“It provides students with another winter sport,” she said, and “allows athletes to experience something different.”
The Ranger swimmers participated in the district meet for the 4A division in La Grande last weekend and the top three competitors there were headed to the state meet in Tualatin over the February 18th weekend.
The new Ranger swim team is a response to students asking for the team.
The swimmers are coached by Liz O’Byrne, who has a freshman on the team.
“She’s been instrumental in getting this going,” said Mott.
“Since it is a low-impact sport, it can include students who might not be able to participate in other sports,” he said.
That’s the case for Hulsey. She was on a community swim team when she was younger, but then got hooked on soccer. She was injured on the pitch and could no longer play soccer.
“Swim was my only option,” she said.
“It’s been great for me, getting to compete again. I never thought I was going to get to. And it’s great spending time with my team mates.”
Hulsey said she appreciates “how therapeutic swimming is for the whole body. It’s a really good sport.”
With such a small team, the Rangers can’t compete in every event at every meet. Hulsey generally does the 100 yard back stroke and the 50 yard freestyle, but like her teammates will swim other events too.
“We’ve been happy with how it’s gone. The kids really enjoyed it,” Mott said of the new Ranger swim team.
GOLF TEAMAfter students expressed interest, Estacada High revived it’s golf team last year and Mott said students are looking forward to another season of golf. Practices start in late February and the state meet will be in mid-May.
Last year’s team had eight boys and two girls and this year’s team is just getting organized, but Mott expects 15 to 20 golfers this year.
Mott said the community has been supportive of the golf team, citing both Springwater Golf Course and Mountainview Golf Course as accommodating to the Rangers.
“Golf is a great sport to have. It can be a lifelong sport, you probably won’t be playing football when you’re 80, but you might be golfing,” Mott said.
