The Sebastian River swimming program will try to fill the vacancies of 11 graduating male and female seniors. Both teams had something to brag about last season. The boys team finished fourth in the state and the girls team was the top finisher in the state for the highest GPA in 3A swimming.
Head coach Scott Barlow is in his 9th year at Sebastian River and remains optimistic about the 2014 season. “We are definitely in a rebuilding year,” Barlow said. “We graduated eight swimmers from the boys’ team. Our girls are in a little bit better shape, we only lost three. I’m looking for some freshman to come in and step up and take over.”
Sebastian’s team numbers are down because of the big graduation year. Usually both teams combine for thirty to thirty-five athletes but this year there are twenty. Barlow hopes that younger athletes will take an interest in the sport to increase the numbers on the Sharks’ team in the future. “When I came to the Treasure Coast ten years ago there wasn’t a club program really available in Sebastian,” Barlow said. “We started it from scratch and we try to get the word out and get kids interested in the sport and to embrace that. And as they move into their high school years trying to keep them involved and be a part of the high school teams.”
Even with the low numbers and the rebuilding season Barlow’s team is 2-0 for 2014 and he is grateful for the support he receives from the community. “The swimming community is a smaller community and we aren’t a marquee sport like football or basketball,” Barlow said. “We are one of the top sports at Sebastian High School and the parents help at the swim meets and travel to the meets and cheer. We get great support from our group of parents and our Athletic Director.”
