SP swimmers get 'mental break' with Eagle Relays

South Putnam junior Benjamin Albright dives in from the west end of the South Putnam pool to begin his leg of the 450-yard crescendo after sophomore Katie Jo Beasley taps the wall to finish her leg. The co-ed relay was part of the non-traditional Eagle Relays on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

After several weeks of practice and no meet for a release, the South Putnam swim team broke their break by hosting the Eagle Relays, an annual non-traditional meet that features co-ed races, relays in every stroke and combined diving.

The Eagles came away with wins in five of the 14 events, but South Putnam coach Anna Kendall said the meet wasn't about getting wins.

"It's really good for our kids to have something like this after working hard over break," Kendall said. "It's nice for them to come here and do something like this that takes some of the stress out of the intense training period that we've had."

The four schools competing--South Putnam, Cascade, West Vigo and Owen Valley--began the meet with a co-ed 200 medley relay, a twist on a normal meet. Things shifted quickly from there.

Next were girls and boys 200 backstroke relays where competitors had to dive in, spin in the water and emerge on their backs.

With new events, some of them impractical, Kendall said there's more to focus on than results. The West Central Conference meet is next Saturday and getting back to the fun of swimming is an important step.

"I don't keep times, I just try to keep positive and give a lot of encouragement," Kendall said. "I think it's a mental break for them, which is fun."

After the 200 yard relays in the breaststroke came the 1,000-yard mixed relay where two boys and two girls from each school competing in legs of 200, 200, 300 and 300 yards, followed by a combined diving competition.

There was a also an 400 individual medley relay where each of the four competitors swam 25 yards of each stroke.

Events 10 and 11 were 100 yard underwater relays.

Competitors swam the 25-yard length of the pool entirely submerged and tagged in teammates on both ends of the pool. Different techniques and strokes were used to power to the wall without a breath, including dolphin kicks, underwater butterflies and combinations.

The event culminated with the 450-yard crescendo where relay teams of six--three boys and three girls each--raced legs of 50-75-100-100-75-and-50 yards.

South Putnam's team of Katie Hansel, Katie McHugh, Katie Jo Beasley, Ben Albright, Tayler Arnold and Zane Crosby won the morning's final race by nearly 10 seconds.

Other wins for the Eagles came in the boys' 200 back relay, the girls' and boys' 400 individual medley relays and the boys' 200 fly relay.

Hunter Fields, Zach Rayce, Wyatt Nees, Alicia Haywood, Maddison Plunkett and Megan Arnold joined in those victories.

South Putnam has another week of work before competing in the WCC meet on Saturday, Jan. 11 at DePauw at 10 a.m. with diving prelims. Swimming begins at noon.