The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The 2018 Big Sandy Barracudas, the Big Sandy Swim Team, held its registration March 29th and during the Rotary Easter Egg Hunt they held their 2nd annual Barbecue dinner. The excitement of the year has already bubbled to the top of their conversations.

For seven years Travis Baumann has been the head coach of the Big Sandy Swim Team the Barracudas. The first year there was 13 kids on the team. On this Thursday 36 signed up to be on the 2018 team. Travis believes there will be at least 40 by the end of the registration period. It cost $50 per swimmer, or $125 for a family of three or more swimming. This year the youngest member is 5 years old and the oldest is 18.

Travis said the reason the team excels is because they "Out work everybody else. We have a very small pool. It's not regulation size, about half the width of everyone else's pool, so we have to work harder than anyone else in order to compete. We put an emphasis on hard work and technique. These kids work exceptional hard. During our two hell weeks, our morning group averages 20 miles a week in the water which is astronomical. Those are huge numbers. We have super hard workers, super stars. We work hard on technique (at practice) too so it becomes second nature when we get to swim meets. We definitely have a team first mentality. We really want the kids rooting for each other when we have a swimmer up. We want the kids to scream for each other and the older kids need to help the younger kids know where they're supposed to be." Travis puts a big emphasis on the older kids being role models for the younger team members.

During meets, which are two day events, when you do well the first day you stay and make the finals the second day. Many of Big Sandy's swimmers make it to the finals. Travis said family is a huge part of their philosophy. "We really try to promote team even with our parents. The parents are a part of the team. They are a very important part of the team, without the parents we are nothing. The kids do all the hard work in the pool, but the parents do all the work to make it happen." This year they will have three coaches, Travis Baumann, Connie Reichelt and Pete Jerrel, which is a major commitment to give up so much of their summer for kids.

"We are going to have a really good year. We are gunning for Conrad."