Twenty four GPAC swimmers traded their usually daily routine at UWF, and their beaches, for a five-day trip to the mountains of Asheville, NC to do some serious swimming, and have a great time doing it during the week of June 9-13.

Members of the Junior and Senior groups, escorted by Coach Phil and Coach Greg, traveled by vans to a unique mountain retreat at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC.  While there, they swam two practices a day, one at the camp in a 25-yard pool, and one at a 50-meter pool in the city of Asheville. They were hosted by the gracious Asheville Swim Club, who generously gave them plenty of lane space to have challenging practices and small group competitions.

The week was highlighted by a strenuous 6-mile hike that rose 1,600 feet in elevation for a magnificent view of the valley and surrounding mountains. All 24 swimmers (and the coaches and chaperones) made the hike, and were exhausted but content. A team Matball game on Wednesday provided some great competition and the high ropes course on Thursday saw many swimmers confronting their fear of heights for a tremendous team-building challenge.  When asked about the trip coach Phil said " Those experiences and conversing about them gave the team members a chance to learn something about themselves and their teammates.  It was a learning experience that we could not have had in Pensacola and that is why we take swimmers on these trips, swimming is not the only thing we teach"

Although most of the time was structured team activities, the swimmers got some down time to hang out, play in the creek or else take a much needed nap. The group also got to tour downtown Asheville, see the campus of a Division I college swimming program, and eat some delicious North Carolina barbeque. The Thursday night campfire was the stage for each group’s performances of their best Coach Greg and Coach Phil impressions, and Coach Greg’s ghost story made for some good laughs and a few scares.

“We hope that the stories, the laughs and the experience will be more memorable than the soreness and the fatigue from this week,” said Coach Greg. “The kids did a great job, the weather was beautiful, and we had a great time.”