Fairfield swimming team sees large turnout

Brittany Winslow has a unique role as the swimming coach. She is also the soccer coach so she can recruit from one team to the other.

She has been successful doing that as the 2019 girls swimming team at Fairfield is one of the biggest teams she has had as she starts her third year as coach.

Winslow was just a volunteer assistant when former head coach Heidi Baker was at the helm. Baker became a new mom and that opened the door for Winslow to helm the team.

'I have done a lot of research and a lot of reading, so that I have a lot of knowledge for this position,” Winslow said. 'I lean on the girls and the parents for help.”

Although she did not participate in swimming when she attended and graduated Fairfield High School, she has welcomed the challenge of coaching eager young minds.

'I've heard of the history of the program. I listened to the other student athletes I was going to school with talk about being a part of the swimming team,” Winslow said. 'I personally didn't swim when I was in high school. I'm not sure of all our records, but I know the program has had some success on the state level.”

In fact, Fairfield has had at least one swimmer or diver compete at state in each year this decade. The last girls state swimming meet that not feature a Trojan qualifier was back in 2009.

Fairfield has a unique role as a member in the Southeast Conference as only newly joined Burlington and Keokuk have girls swimming teams. Ottumwa is the closest school out of conference to offer a girls swim team.

'We haven't won many meets, but the competition is important and improving every chance we get is our goal,” Winslow said.

Last year started a season that allowed swimmers to qualify for state during the course of the season as long as they swam that event at the qualifying meet.

'That was a good rule change,” Winslow said. 'The girls liked that.”

There are 24 out for the team. That includes nine seniors (Emily McAvan, Erica Olson, Téa Harris, Tessa Seibert, Kyra Hunter, Delaney Mondia, Maddy Hanna, Mahayla Mellott, Katie McLain), five juniors (Clare Else, Ella Weigert, Claire Petit, Anna Westphal, Emma Sanner), five sophomores (Emma Clubb, Dakota Wages, Delaney Breen, Jenna Norris, Grace Sobaski) and six freshmen (Emily Olson, Brooke Silvers, Paige Craun, Emmajen McKim, Viola Welsh, and manager Airianna Taylor.

'We are still young, so accomplishing personal records will be what is important and that's what we strive for,” Winslow sad. 'I have learned that I'm not afraid to ask for help.”

The first meet is at Ottumwa Aug. 29.

'Ottumwa has been a great help with our progra, epecially their coach,” Winslow said.

The schedule for the season is listed below.

Aug. 29 at Ottumwa

Sept. 7 at Muscatine

Sept. 9 vs. Oskaloosa

Sept. 17 at Newton

Sept. 28 at Burlington

Sept. 30 vs. Tipton

Oct. 7 at Keokuk

Oct. 14 at Cedar Rapids Washington

Oct. 21 at Tipton

Oct. 22 vs. Keokuk, Burlington

Oct. 31 at Regionals