MONROE - Two local swimmers will go up against the nation next week.
Rachel Root, a Monroe freshman, and Marissa Berg, a Monticello eighth-grader, will each swim in three events at the 2010 YMCA National Short Course Swimming Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"It's really exciting and it's quite an honor to go. It takes a lot of hard work," Berg said.
The meet will last from Wednesday, April 7, through Saturday, April 10, at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex. There will be over 1,000 student athletes swimming at the meet, with about 150 to 200 per event. There will be preliminary runs and finals for each race. Kids ages 12 to 18 years old will participate, but there is no age group. The meet is one open division.
"There's going to be a lot of people there," Berg said.
The two girls will leave for Florida Easter Sunday and will get two days of practice in at the pool prior to Wednesday's opening ceremonies. Five of the nation's top swimmers, including Ryan Lochte, the world record holder in the 200 individual medley and six-time Olympic gold medalist.
The duo's coach, Mark Lang, will not be available to attend the meet, so Shane Ryan, the coach at the Madison West YMCA, will take over advising duties for the week.
Root has been swimming nearly all of her life and saw her first varsity action last fall swimming with the Cheesemakers. She is swimming in the 100-yard backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly.
"I'm really excited. It's going to be a great experience," Root said.
The pool is outdoors, which may pose a slight problem for Root, as backstroke swimmers typically use marks or beams on the ceiling to tell where they are in the pool.
"It's a bigger meet, it will be cool to get that kind of experience," Root said.
Berg, who will not be able to swim in high school next fall because Monticello does not have a swim team, is competing in the 100 free, 50 free and 100 butterfly.
"I'm trying to work on my technique as hard as I can. It would mean a lot to place, but coming from a small area it's going to be really hard to," Berg said. "Since it is all open, it's very rare for a younger (swimmer) to place. A lot of girls ahead of me are all older and in high school. Their times are really fast."
The two girls also wanted to thank Lang and Jessica Wells for their help with coaching, as well as their Green County Golden Gator teammates for the camaraderie they had all season.
In order to qualify for the national meet, a swimmer must reach a qualifying time at any YMCA meet. Finishing times at regionals, sectionals or state do not count for the national tournament. However, there is a stipulation as to how many meets you must attend in order to move on.
Rachel Root, a Monroe freshman, and Marissa Berg, a Monticello eighth-grader, will each swim in three events at the 2010 YMCA National Short Course Swimming Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"It's really exciting and it's quite an honor to go. It takes a lot of hard work," Berg said.
The meet will last from Wednesday, April 7, through Saturday, April 10, at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex. There will be over 1,000 student athletes swimming at the meet, with about 150 to 200 per event. There will be preliminary runs and finals for each race. Kids ages 12 to 18 years old will participate, but there is no age group. The meet is one open division.
"There's going to be a lot of people there," Berg said.
The two girls will leave for Florida Easter Sunday and will get two days of practice in at the pool prior to Wednesday's opening ceremonies. Five of the nation's top swimmers, including Ryan Lochte, the world record holder in the 200 individual medley and six-time Olympic gold medalist.
The duo's coach, Mark Lang, will not be available to attend the meet, so Shane Ryan, the coach at the Madison West YMCA, will take over advising duties for the week.
Root has been swimming nearly all of her life and saw her first varsity action last fall swimming with the Cheesemakers. She is swimming in the 100-yard backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly.
"I'm really excited. It's going to be a great experience," Root said.
The pool is outdoors, which may pose a slight problem for Root, as backstroke swimmers typically use marks or beams on the ceiling to tell where they are in the pool.
"It's a bigger meet, it will be cool to get that kind of experience," Root said.
Berg, who will not be able to swim in high school next fall because Monticello does not have a swim team, is competing in the 100 free, 50 free and 100 butterfly.
"I'm trying to work on my technique as hard as I can. It would mean a lot to place, but coming from a small area it's going to be really hard to," Berg said. "Since it is all open, it's very rare for a younger (swimmer) to place. A lot of girls ahead of me are all older and in high school. Their times are really fast."
The two girls also wanted to thank Lang and Jessica Wells for their help with coaching, as well as their Green County Golden Gator teammates for the camaraderie they had all season.
In order to qualify for the national meet, a swimmer must reach a qualifying time at any YMCA meet. Finishing times at regionals, sectionals or state do not count for the national tournament. However, there is a stipulation as to how many meets you must attend in order to move on.