McCook's swim team going strong despite no outdoor pool

McCook summer swim team coaches (from left) Lynne Kinne, Jon Graff and Kerrigan Burns offer advice to McCook swimmers on the last day of practice the YMCA on Wednesday. With the city pool closed, all practices were held indoors this summer. They complete their season at the Cornhusker State Games this weekend.

Courtesy Photo

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Summer Swim Team season looked drastically different this summer than it has in the past.

For starters, the outdoor McCook city pool didn’t open this summer.

But that didn’t derail the swim team.

It just meant the youth swim team practiced indoors the past six weeks, thanks to the McCook YMCA opening up the pool everyday over the lunch hour to the young swimmers.

The McCook swim team also left its long-time summer swim league, venturing onto its own. Again, this didn’t derail the swim team.

It just meant the swim team hosted its own intrasquad meets, competing against each other.

The McCook swim team will wrap up its season at the Cornhusker State Games on Friday and Saturday at the Fremont YMCA pool, a familiar site as it is regularly used for the winter YMCA league.

The McCook swim team is coached by McCook High School coach Jon Graff and MHS assistant coach Lynne Kinne. Former McCook swimmer Kerrigan Burns continues to return home in the summer to coach the “littles,” the younger swimmers who are just starting swim team.

Many volunteer parents also help throughout the season including timing at the meets.

As the summer swim season comes to a close, plans are already underway for the fall/winter swim season which will begin in September at the YMCA.

More information will be available soon.

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While summer swim team practice has come to an end, the YMCA dive clinic is still open for participants next week.

The dive clinic will be Monday-Thursday, July 11-14, 8:30-10 a.m.

Divers will have the option of participating in the Cornhusker State Games diving competition the following Saturday, July 16 in Lincoln but it is not required.

Participants must be at least 10 years of age and there is a limit of 10 divers.

Registration is available on the YMCA website, mccookymca.org.