Swimming to the Top

Nestled deep in the Hillsmere Shores community is the unassuming home pool of the champion Hillsmere Hammerheads swim team.

Undefeated (5-0) and ranked first in the Greater Annapolis Swim League’s top division in 2010, the team has been busy preparing for a challenging new season.

At a recent meeting at the community’s beach pavilion, new team manager Becky Crosby spoke with parents about the upcoming season. Crosby, who has a child on the team, took over the manager post from Robin Laird, who managed the team since 2007 and will remain as a volunteer.

While Crosby calls this a transition year, she is quick to point out that changes will be minimal.

“The practice schedules might change a bit but that might be the only thing," she said. "We don’t want to adjust something that has been successful in the past.”

And Crosby is no stranger to team history.

“I am a former swimmer with the Hammerheads, starting at the 8 and under level,” she said. “I swam with Hillsmere until I was 18. I came back years later as a coach with the 6 and under swimmers, served as head coach for a time and am now taking on the role of manager.”

Hillsmere is one of about 20 area swim clubs in the Greater Annapolis Swim League. The Hammerheads have about 70 members signed up so far for this season. The team usually fields 90 to 100 swimmers a season from ages 6 to 18 years old.

While Coach Susan Dennis said the team will work on maintaining the No. 1 ranking, the focus is on individual improvement of all skill levels, not just winning.

“Everyone is welcome on the team,” Dennis said. “We require that applicants be able to swim from one end of the pool and back and we take it from there.”

“We want to make sure the kids are having a good time exercising,” Crosby added. “It’s more about developing their skills in a life-long sport. We want them to do their best at whatever level they are.”

Coaches work with swimmers on technique in the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Evening practices begin June 1 until school lets out on June 15, when practice moves to mornings.

There are five regular season meets and three championship meets.

Laird, outgoing team manager, said watching the evolution of a young swimmer is very rewarding.

“Younger ones are intimidated at first," she said. "There can be a lot of people at a meet and when a little one has to stand at the edge of the pool with everyone watching…it’s not easy. This experience is definitely a confidence-builder.”

Dennis said the feeling of achievement the children get is well worth the effort they invest.

“It can seem like a huge challenge at first, especially early in the summer when it is still cold in the mornings and you have got get up so early to practice," Dennis said. "It’s not a real social sport because your head is in the water most of the time and you aren’t talking to your friends.

"But if you wonder why all these kids are doing this, it’s because it feels really good. The endorphins kick in and they see their improvement. It is a wonderful feeling.”

For more information on the Hillsmere Hammerhead swim team, see the Hillsmere community website of contact team manager Becky Crosby at 443-336-8432.

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