The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Gabe Reitmann hit the pool for his first big race last week. photo by Conrad Weiler The Sisters Athletic Club youth swim team dived into its first official meet on Tuesday, August 10.

A large crowd of several hundred people enjoyed the two-hour swim meet at The Athletic Club of Bend. The event also included a hot dog, hamburger and salad lawn buffet.

Competing with Bend and Sunriver in the three-way swim meet, five Sisters youngsters held their own with other Central Oregon swimmers.

The five were Emily Christen, age seven, Gabe Rietmann, age nine, Ross Robinson, age nine, Lindsey Soliz, age nine and Amy Yoder, age 11.

"I wanted our team members to get the feel of what it's like at a swim meet," said coach Jeremy Storton. "In a relaxed atmosphere they can get the butterflies out of their systems and feel more relaxed in their swimming events."

The team members competed in 25-yard freestyle events, 25- and 50-yard breaststroke and 25-yard backstroke events.

"Times were lowered by seven to 10 seconds by our swimmers during the events," said Storton.

His team has been practicing this summer at the Sisters facility.

Storton comes well equipped to handle coaching duties. He is a former ocean lifeguard, swimmer and water polo player in high school and in college at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The outdoor pool at The Athletic Club of Bend has six lanes for the regulation 25-yard pool. Sisters Athletic Club has three lanes in its 25-yard indoor pool.

The Sisters High School swim team reportedly will practice at Sisters Athletic Club in the coming year. Previously, it had practiced at Black Butte Ranch's Glaze Meadow pool, a non-regulation size pool.