Swim team welcomes new coach

The Malta Swim Team may have welcomed a new head coach for the 2018 season, but the face is a familiar one as Shay Garfield, a 2017 state placer was offered the position.

"The closer it gets, the more excited I am getting," Coach Garfield told the PCN. "I am a little nervous because I have never really coached but for the most part I am excited.

Garfield comes with years of experience as a Malta Swim Team swimmer from bantamweight to her final year as a senior swimmer last season.

She does have limited coaching experience shadowing former coach Cassie Pratt, who was Malta's coach in 2016 and 2017

"I was a junior coach, so I just did whatever the head coach told me to do," Garfield said.

Being a coach for Malta's Swim Team is something that Garfield has wanted for a while.

"I always knew that I wanted to coach the Malta Swim Team ever since I was really, really little," Garfield said. "I would've been fine with either assistant or head coach."

This season, Garfield and Assistant Coach Janine Tuss will lead around 25 swimmers around the Eastern part of Montana this summer.

The team welcomes back many swimmers including, Carly Garfield, Jillian O'Brien, Erika Nagy, Darrow Messerly, Danika Wilke, Makiya Wilke, and Britney Sorlie. Garfield was asked how it felt to have so many seasoned swimmers back.

"It's great and honestly, it makes me less nervous," she said. "I know that they already kind of have the flow of everything. If I need help with some of the younger kids then they will step up and help. They are really good kids."

As for the practice times, the Intermediate and senior swimmers will practice from 6-8 a.m. during the week, Midgets and juniors will practice from 8-10 a.m., and Bantams will be from 10-11 a.m.

The team's opening practice on Friday, June 1, was technique based, but Coach Garfield will turn things up this week.

"The next week, I will be cracking the whip a little more," Garfield said. "Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I hope to be doing sprints the whole practice. Tuesday and Thursday will be days for long-distance and technique.

The Swim Team had their first meet last weekend, spending Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, in Harlem.

"It went very well, I was very proud of how everyone who swam this weekend," Coach Garfield said. "As the year goes on, I'm excited to see how our kids compete with the kids from other towns.

Malta will be hosting their home meet this weekend from Saturday, June 9 through Sunday, June 10.

"We have a few schedule conflicts this weekend with other Sports camps, so some of our older swimmers will not be competing this weekend," Coach Garfield said. " I believe we will have a very good, solid meet. For anyone that wants to come to watch, there will definitely be some close races this weekend."

Being that admission to this weekend's meet at the City Pool is free, Coach Garfield and the Malta Swim Team, hope to see many locals at the pool.

"You do not have to pay to get in, so it would be great to see a lot of friendly faces cheering on the kids this weekend," Coach Garfield said.

The team will be in Roundup the following weekend Saturday, June 16 through Sunday, June 17. The team will be in Plentywood from Saturday, June 23 through Sunday, June 24. They will then swim in Glendive from Saturday, June 30 through Sunday, July 1. The swimmers will see Sidney's Olympic-sized pool on Saturday, July 7 through Sunday, July 8. The team will be in Scobey on Saturday, July 14 through Sunday, July 15. The team's last regular season meet will be in Lewistown on Saturday, July 21 through Sunday, July 22. The Eastern Divisional Meet will be on Saturday, July 28 through Sunday, July 29 in Chinook. The State Meet will be on Saturday, August 4 through Sunday, August 5.