MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Tsunami Swim Club swimmers practiced their swimming techniques at the IronWorks Gym indoor pool here Sept. 8 in preparation for the upcoming swim season.
The Tsunami Swim Club is the station’s youth swim team.
Swimmers compete against other local and base swim teams.
“My three assistant coaches and I really try to push our swimmers to be the best they can be,” said Tracy L. Macdonald, Tsunami Swim Club head coach.
The young swimmers are trained with various swimming equipment, which helps them better their different stroke techniques.
Although the swim team encourages a healthier lifestyle for swimmers, the team is also a way for new children aboard the station to make friends.
“I just moved here with my family from Germany,” said McKenzie N. Gordon, a 13-year-old swimmer. “I made friends with some of the other swimmers fast after I joined the team.”
Practices help participating children gain endurance, develop and perfect techniques for different strokes used at swim meets.
Some swimmers aspire to take their swimming to a more advanced level.
“The swim team keeps me in shape and I’m looking forward to going back to the states and go to college on a swim team scholarship,” said Taylor R. Marine, a 13-year-old swimmer. “This is my second year on the swim team. I’m out here every day because I love swimming.”
The children get the unique experience of traveling around Japan to compete against Japanese and American swim teams. “My first year with the team was really cool,” said Marine. “We went to Yokoska and visited the mountains and some shrines.”
Coaches get the opportunity to volunteer, mentor and help the children live a healthier lifestyle.
“I help the swimmers stay focused on anything they are doing,” said Juan G. Rivera, a Tsunami Swim Club assistant coach. “They can ask me about their homework or just talk about how their day went. It is a good experience to volunteer.”
The four coaches mentor and train approximately 50 young swimmers.
“We try and have as much time with each swimmer to help them with whatever they are having trouble with,” Rivera said.
The Tsunami Swim Club is open to children ages six and up. Children are separated into groups by skill level.
Swimmers are taught and practice the butterfly, back, breast and freestyle strokes.
Practices are scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday 5 – 6 p.m.
With no swim meets on the horizon, the swimmers train to ensure their first meet will be like shooting fish in a barrel.