Go Team Mt Pleasant
Four very excited students from Mt Pleasant Public School head to Sydney today (Friday) to compete at the PSSA State Swimming Championships.
Harper Kemp, Tilly Middlebrook and brother and sister, Tulley and Saylee Clark will compete in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay after finishing in third place at the regional competition in Newcastle last month.
Being a small school, the students compete in the PP5 division that matches them up with small, country schools of similar size.
All four are making their first appearance at state and given they had little preparation for regionals, qualifying in third place in a time of 2:56.11, they are sure to cut a few seconds off this time given their training since.
They have been spending plenty of time practising in the pool since regionals with local swim coach Melessa Geale giving them some handy relay tips, especially with the changeovers.
“Mrs Harris (a teacher at Mt Pleasant) organised Melessa to help us and we go to Branxton pool to practice together where we are allowed to jump off the blocks,” Tilley told The Hunter River Times.
While they are excited about the competition which will be held at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre, it will also be the first time any of the kids have been to Sydney.
They know there will be lots of people and lots of traffic but they cannot hide their excitement.
“Dad complains about the traffic on Bridgman Road so I’m not looking forward to what he thinks about the Sydney traffic,” Tulley said.
They know they will be up against some stiff competition but they are training to win and all four are committed to doing their best.
-DI SNEDDON