Adam and Adrian mentor Water Sharks' younger swimmers

At each of the Washington Community Y Water Sharks swim team?s meets this season, Emily Adam and Lyndsay Adrian have been there at the edge of the pool, coaxing on the squad?s younger swimmers.

Adam and Adrian, who are both high school seniors, decided to help out this season by coaching the 10-and-under swimmers in addition to their roles as swimmers on the squad.

?They?re a lot of fun because they just have so much energy,? said Adam, the daughter of Tom and Mary Beth Adam.

?They keep you on your toes,? added Adrian, the daughter of Steve and Brenda Adrian. ?They?re very entertaining.?

Adam, who lives in Harper, decided to coach the younger kids after coaching Sigourney?s summer swim team last year. Coaching is in Adrian?s blood, as her mother, Brenda, is the team?s coach and sisters Brittanie and Mackenzie have coached the younger kids in the past.

?My mom?s been the coach ever since I was little,? Lyndsay Adrian said. ?My sisters were coaching, so I always wanted to do it.?

Both formed an instant rapport with the younger swimmers they coach.

?The kids like to have them around,? Water Sharks swim coach Brenda Adrian said. ?They always come up to them and say, ?Did you see me swim? Did you see me swim?? That?s really cool.?

Adam and Adrian taught the Water Sharks? 37 younger swimmers the basic techniques of swimming this winter.

?We work on a lot of technique-type stuff,? Adam said. ?We do a lot of kicking on your back. We work on the basic rotation and breathing to your side.?

Adam and Adrian have seen their swimmers flourish this winter. Nine are headed to this weekend?s Iowa YMCA State Swimming Championships in Marshalltown.

?I think all of them have done such a great job,? Adam said. ?Especially the ones who just started this year. It?s amazing to watch them swim now compared to the beginning of the year. It?s fun to see them happy because they?re getting faster.?

Adam and Adrian are looking forward to watching their younger swimmers compete at this weekend?s state meet. But the pair will also be swimming at the meet for the final time. Adam will be competing in the 100 free, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke, while Adrian will swim the 100 free and 200 free. They are teammates on the Water Sharks? 200 free and 200 medley relays.

?It?s sad because it?s our last Y state meet,? Lyndsay Adrian said. ?But it will be fun.?

When Adam and Adrian swim at state, they?ll likely have a cheering section.

?The 10-and-unders do like to watch Lyndsay and Emily swim at meets, too,? Brenda Adrian said. ?That?s kind of neat. They?re down there cheering them on and telling them to go a little faster like Emily and Lyndsay do to them. So it kind of reverses the role.?