Flying Fish enter 19th season with a strong roster

It’s been three years since COVID-19 shut down the summer swimming season for teams competing in the Coastal Carolina Aquatic Association, including the Daniel Island Flying Fish.

 

But things have returned to normal, which translates into healthy roster numbers and success in the pool for the Daniel Island squad. 

 

“Everything’s back to normal,” said longtime Flying Fish coach Rose Van Metre. “I think everything is back to normal. It was a crazy time back then, but it’s back to normal.”

 

The program’s numbers are up after a slight drop-off because of the pandemic. Van Metre welcomed approximately 240 swimmers when the team convened for its first practice of the 2023 season.

 

The program continues to have great success since its founding in 2004. Van Metre came on board three years later and helped build the Flying Fish into one of the top teams in the Lowcountry, even though its base of swimmers is much smaller than programs located in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and West Ashley.

 

The Flying Fish, who finished fourth in last summer’s City Swim Meet, won three of its first four meets of this season. They continue to work in preparation for this year’s ultimate event, which will be contested July 8-9 at the North Charleston Aquatic Center.

 

As in past years, the team’s roster numbers are heavy with young swimmers.

 

“A majority of our swimmers are under 10,” Van Metre said. “We have a lot of younger swimmers.”

 

The youngest group of swimmers compete in the 5-6-year-old age group. Van Metre uses the approach of Swimming 101 for the youngest of the young, focusing on the basics of freestyle and backstroke.

 

“We want to help them improve their stroke technique and have fun,” Van Metre said. “You want them to have fun.”

 

And to do that, the youngest group doesn’t practice as much as the older swimmers in the program. The 5- and 6-year-olds practice every other day.

 

“They’re not swimming every day,” the coach said. “The introduction to swimming is better, and it’s not as time consuming for our swimmers or their parents.”

 

This year’s edition has lots of star power and Van Metre has a team that has quality and quantity.

 

Some of the program’s top swimmers and their age groups include Ruby Muller and Finn Gaston (8-9), Ronel St. Germaine and Benji Cumpelik (9-10), Charlotte Good and Jason Chalupsky (11-12), Connor Good (13-14) and Ellie Chalupsky and Justin Hafner (15-18).

 

The Flying Fish season is rapidly coming to a conclusion. They were scheduled to host Snee Farm on June 20 and Oyster Point two days later.

 

On June 26, the Flying Fish host the annual Mega Meet for CCAA swimmers under age 6. On the following day, Daniel Island travels to Northridge Terrace. The Flying Fish inter-squad meet is June 29 with the season concluding with the City Swim Meet in early July.

 

Snee Farm won last year’s championship with a slim victory over North Charleston. Northbridge Terrace was third and Daniel Island fourth.