Jamaica coach sees positive signs for young swimmers
Published:Wednesday | June 28, 2023 | 1:44 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
THE SUCCESSFUL staging of the Tornadoes Invitational meet, a loaded summer slate, and increased division-one collegiate scholarships have given swimming coach, Wendy Lee, hope for young swimmers on the island.
Jamaica began competing at the Central American and Caribbean Games this week with the three-member team of Sabrina Lyn, Emily McDonald and Sidrell Williams, led by head coach Gillian Milwood.
At the recently held Tornadoes Invitational, Lee was pleased to have fostered an environment for the athletes to perform despite the concerns regarding balancing their preparations for end-of-year exams.
“We created an environment for everybody to do their best. One of the concerns that we had was that it was going to be during the exam time. But our athletes really did find a way to prepare for their exams and to compete at the meet,” Lee told The Gleaner.
Lee said that Jamaican swimming has reached a new stage as far as the calendar goes with far more activities in the pool than ever before.
“The fact that we are having a meet in June and having a meet next weekend shows that Jamaica swimming, we are able to maintain it and we want to maintain the intensity. Because usually we are done by May and then we rest for the summer to compete again in October,” she said.
“Now Jamaica swimming has reached a point where, yes we are doing Carifta but that’s not the end, that is now the starting point of our season, the fact that we are doing it right through. I am going to force my athletes now to take a break, which I have never had to do. Now we have to really actively think about where we are going to take our break.”
Lee is also encouraged by the increase in the number of swimmers taking up division one scholarships.
“This is the first year our athletes are getting accepted to division one schools and that has been a goal for a very long time. So the fact that Sabrina Lyn is going to LSU shows the depth that we are getting,” Lee said.
Nathaniel Thomas is also heading off to a Division One programme in the fall and Lee believes this bodes well for the long-term future of the athletes.
“It shows that it has taken a long time and it is challenging and we are taking baby steps but we are certainly going in a positive direction,” said Lee.