Sharks head to championships

Times Reporter

 

For the first time ever the Strathmore Silver Sharks swim team has swimmers attending the “A” Provincials/ Age Group Championships swim meet in Calgary March 9 to 11. 

The Age Group Trials were held in Edmonton Feb. 24 to 26 and Tamara Adamschek, Madison Laycraft and Liam Schoepp will be competing in provincials. 

Adamschek brought home four gold medals and Laycraft brought home three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from the trial. The only two ways of qualifying for the Age Group Championships is through time standards or by winning your event at the trials.  

“It’s so exciting, I’m so proud of them. They’ve just been improving a lot and they’ve been going to extra practices outside of the ones I coach just to try and get in the water more because they are just so excited to be there,” said head coach Jen Mertz.

“They work hard at every single practice and come to every one that they possibly can, very dedicated swimmers.”

Mertz has been coaching the older group of swimmers, which include Schoepp and Adamschek for the past two years. Assistant coach, Shandell Laycraft is Madison’s coach, and also happens to be her mother. 

The Silver Sharks swim Monday and Wednesday nights from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Competitive swimmers can also swim at the same times on Friday nights. The Masters club swims on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 5:45 a.m. to 7 a.m.