Swim season starts today as Iola’s recreational department’s swim team heads to Coffeyville for the first meet of the season. Ciara Klubek, 25, is in her first season as head coach.
“I have really high hopes for this season, the kids are just so outgoing and wanting to do everything we ask them too,” Klubek said. “We can see all these kids bloom in the water and it’s going to be great. I can see this working.”
Klubek first got involved with the swim team by becoming a member of the team.
“I started swimming on swim team when I was a sophomore in high school,” Klubek said. “Then, I became a lifeguard in 2008.”
As a lifeguard, she started to shout suggestions to kids that she noticed needed some pointers on how to swim.
“I watched from the lifeguard stand when they opened the new pool and I was pointing out kids kicking wrong and everything,” Klubek said.
Swimmers took notice.
“Somebody told me that I should just become a coach,” Klubek said. “I became assistant and it took three years to work up to head coach.”
She has enjoyed her time as coach so far. Her favorite part about coaching is interacting with the kids. Klubek also likes to go to the meets and watch the kids succeed.
Klubek looks forward to the season starting off today. The team will have three home and three away meets, capping off the season at the end of July with the league meet.
The first home swim meet is June 25 against Cherryvale.
“We invite everybody to come down to our home meets and cheer us on,” Klubek said. “We’re looking forward to league meet, it’s two days and it’s going to be super long and super crazy but it’s going to be great.”
