The Piranhas Swim Team is moving into its 30th-plus season with 45 swimmers and a new coaching structure as Globe-Miami's summer swim program gets underway.
Three evenings per week, the team can be found honing their skills at the City of Globe Community Center Pool. This year’s team features 43 returning swimmers and two new team members, ranging from ages 7 to 18.
The first meet of the season was June 6 in Florence, followed by the team’s first home meet on June 13.
“The Piranhas swam their hearts out,” Chelsea Webb, lead organizer, said of the June 6 meet. “It was a long, hot day in Florence, but the Piranhas did such a wonderful job and brought home a lot of ribbons.”
There are a total of four meets this season. After one more home meet and another in Coolidge, the team will compete in the championship, with the season ending July 11.
Webb, who has served as a team parent since 2017, said she took on a larger leadership role this season after longtime team parents and organizers Leslie Parker and Adrea Ricke expressed interest in taking a step back.
Webb said Parker wanted time to enjoy her youngest daughter’s last season on the team, because when a swimmer graduates high school, they have one last summer to compete.
“To be able to see the meets as a parent and enjoy them is something really special,” she said.
She added that Parker and Ricke are still very strong supporters and just a phone call away.
Webb said one of the biggest changes this season is a new coaching structure.
“This is the first season that we have a large group collective of coaching staff,” she said.
She said the kids were grouped by age and assigned coaches. There are five coaches this season, with one leaving mid-season to study abroad.
The Piranhas are under the umbrella of Copper Cities Youth Sports, which also oversees youth baseball, softball, basketball, flag football, and Punchers football and cheer.
“We are so grateful for all the help and advocacy they do for the team every year,” Webb said.
For anyone interested in having their child join the team in future seasons, Webb advises they watch the CCYS website and Facebook page for updates. Parents can also have their kids practice swimming the length of the Globe pool without stopping, which is a basic requirement for making the team.
Volunteer coaches are always welcome and may contact CCYS on their website.
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