Wrangell High School senior MiKayla Stokes has started a swim club at WHS with the intent of revitalizing the competitive swim program for the Wolves. Under her direction, the Wrangell Wolves could see a competitive swim team return in the next few years.
Wrangell High School senior MiKayla Stokes wants her fellow students to get in shape and become healthier – via the school’s new swim club.
The club, which was Stokes’ brainchild and her senior project, currently has about 20 members who are learning the basics of swimming and diving.
“Right now, I teach them the basic strokes of swimming and we have worked on diving a little bit, as well as turning at the ends of the pool,” Stokes said. “We’ve also been doing relay races during our practices.”
Stokes added that she began the club because swimming is one of her favorite activities in life.
“I really enjoy swimming and wish I could have grown up being able to be on a Wrangell swim team,” she said. “Plus, it’s a great way for kids who take part to try to establish a team again.”
Wrangell has not had a competitive swim team in nearly a decade – and if a team started up again, it would conceivably face off against the swimming powerhouse of Petersburg High School.
“I know that Juneau and Sitka have a team, and Petersburg is all about their program,” she added. “It’s huge up there. So, I am trying to set the framework for a team so that it might happen down the road, after I’m gone.”
District superintendent Rich Rhodes said the club would have to exist for a while before it could become a competitive sport in the region.
“I know that there has to be a club in place for a period of time before the board could approve it as an official sport. We’re supportive though, and would need someone to just step up and take the lead as a club swim coach first,” Rhodes said.
Echoing Rhodes’ sentiment, Wrangell athletic director Monty Buness said the possibility of WHS sponsoring a competitive team under the umbrella of the Alaska School Activities Association are viable – but will take time.
“The swim team we had before was never an ASAA sport, it was a club activity,” Buness said. “We would have to go the same route as baseball and softball and exist for several years. We could then propose it to the board for funding. They will have to show they are a viable club sport first and then it can happen once some history is there. So, I think MiKayla’s on the right track.”
Any students interested in joining the club should contact Stokes for more information.
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