Undefeated streak concludes with sixth consecutive trophy

They’ve done it again. Competing with the six other teams that comprise the Mountain Swim League — Graham County, Andrews, Murphy, Jackson County, Hendersonville and Waynesville — the Franklin Amateur Swim Team (FAST) stroked, splashed and used its signature determination to take its sixth consecutive trophy. Franklin hosted the year-end championships at home at the rec park pool on Saturday, July 25, and came away undaunted by the competition.

Two weeks ago, at a home meet against Hendersonville, Franklin’s husband-and-wife team coaches were somewhat hesitant in their predictions for the end of the season. Even though they’d held the championship for the previous five years, Dwain and Dina Picou didn’t want to talk much in the way of a forecast.

“We’re the only team in the league without year-round practice facilities, so I don’t know how it will go. We’re up against kids who swim all of the time,” said Coach Dwain.

They didn’t want to talk much either, at the end of Saturday’s meet, but for very different reasons. They were breathless, unable to speak after the kids surprised them with celebratory dunkings. First came the unexpected ice water splashes from a cooler and then the more traditional dunk in the pool. “I knew they wanted to throw us in the pool, we expect it when we win big. But I had no idea the ice water bath was coming,” Picou said.

As much as the chlorine, you could almost smell the confidence. The Franklin kids exuded it enough going in to the meet that they’d already had the celebration well-planned. The guise was a photo shoot after the final tallies came in. As the coaches were sitting in chairs posing, the kids snuck up behind them and unloaded a cooler of ice and water onto their heads Then, in a great show of force against the unwilling, dragged Coach Dwain and Coach Dina into the pool. As the rush of the champions continued, the kids dragged each other into the pool.

Co-coaches Dwain and Dina Picou got an unexpected ice-cold soaking in celebration.

The meet was obviously over before it was officially over – a rout, a sweep, a beat-down. All day long the scene had been like a tent city, a close-knit community reminiscent of Woodstock, except without the mud and music. But even before the last swimmers emerged from the pool at the end of a long day, the village was gone.

It’s over, the people were thinking. No use to hang around now. The year is done.

Afterthoughts

As much as the coaches are enjoying the current streak, it’s not what coaching is about, they said. They’ve enjoyed winning streaks before, and expect to have them again. “You take it one year at a time,” Dwain said. “You have to realize that no matter how good you think you are as a team, there’s always somebody better. Anybody, in any given year, can take the laurels. So you just coach the best you can all of the time,” he said.

The team is open to anyone ages 5 to 18. “We ask that the kids at least be able to float, but we have had to teach some of the younger ones to swim,” Picou said. “Our philosophy is this — the worst swimmer on our team right now may end up being the best next season. We coach the team with that in mind,” he said.

After the meet, as the Picous slowly got past the shivering stage, they commented on the accomplishments of the day, and the year in general.

“We’re very blessed to have such a group of talented kids and supportive parents. The kids are having fun and doing well, that’s what it’s all about. Winning the championship just makes it all sweeter,” Coach Dwain said.

Coach Dina remarked at how well the swim meet went and said, “The kids performed well. I just wish we had one more month in the season. A lot of the kids who came in second place today, with one more month of practice, would’ve came in first.”

No matter, they all walked away as champs.

Accolades

At the awards banquet held for the swimmers on Tuesday, July 28, many of the kids came away with special recognition for their performances in the conference championships. Medals were awarded to 47 members of the swim team. The winners and the number of medals they received are:

(The top three finishers in individual events and the first place finishers in relays were awarded a medal): Eduardo Altamarino, 2; Sarah Bowman, 5; Forest Byrd, 1; Sarah Brendel, 1; Josiah Brendel, 4; Missi Bowman, 2; Ryan Balmer, 1; Killian Carpenter, 4; Emilee Curtis, 1; Seth Curtis, 1; Matt Duelfer, 1; Tori Dragoo, 1; Emily Esterwood, 4; Shannon Esterwood, 3; Michael Frazier, 1; Ivey Hawkins, 1; Chandon Ivey, 5; Jakin Ivey, 2; Amee Jawalla, 3; Anuj Jawalla, 3; Danielle Jimenson, 3; Brooke Jones, 3; Jonas Kolousek, 3; Anastasia Kolousek, 3; Ryan Karcher, 1; Deaven Lombard, 1; Cameron Lovell, 2; Robert McAllister, 1; Timothy McAllister, 4; Matt McLeod, 1; Calvin McQuitty, 5; Suzanna McQuitty, 4; Eric Mc- Quitty, 5; Sam McQuitty, 4; Hunter Payseur, 1; Cody Peavy, 1; Daniel Ruppe, 2; Holly Sapp, 2; Sarah Sapp, 1; Dalton Schrichten, 2; Jenna Snell, 2; Aliyah Stahl, 1; Olivia Stahl, 1; Tyler Stevenson, 5; Molly Suminski, 1; Nikki Valley, 1; Caledin Wylepek, 2, and Jordan Zemmin, 2.

For more information about FAST, call (828) 369-7486 or email the coaches at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .