By Zack Peñalva, Sports Editor
Competition breeds winners, but it can be a lot of fun too. That’s the hope of Head Coach Alex Keyser as his team prepares to take part in the annual Alumni Meet for both the men and women’s swim teams tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.
Keyser expects anywhere from 10 to 20 former Asbury swimmers to return to the Luce Center pool this weekend to compete in an 11-event meet against the current crop of Eagles swimmers. There will be 25 and 50-yard races of all four major strokes, as well as a 100-yard individual medley, a medley relay and a freestyle relay.
“All of my current swimmers swim every event,” Keyser said. “The alumni get to pick and choose what they swim.”
Besides being a great way to bring alumni back to campus to connect with the current team, Keyser believes that the meet will also serve as an impactful tool to help convince more potential recruits to choose Asbury.
“We [usually] try to do [the alumni meet] during Homecoming weekend, but we needed to have an actual meet that weekend,” said Keyser. The change in schedule now has the meet taking place during the swim team’s first recruit weekend. “I think it’s great to get recruits connected with the current team, but also the alumni. I want them to see what they would have to look forward to after they graduate.”
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“All of my current swimmers swim every event,” Keyser said. “The alumni get to pick and choose what they swim.”[/perfectpullquote]
After a successful season last year that saw both teams put on a strong showing at the NAIA National Championships, there are big expectations for this year’s team ahead of their first competitive event in Louisville on Oct. 8. But even with that in mind, Keyser believes that a healthy spirit of competition is what will keep the team on track for more success; even if he’s the one that has to get in the water to spur them on.
“I swim 4-5 days a week,” Keyser said when asked if we would be getting participating again this year. “[During the Alumni meet there’s] usually a rivalry with a swimmer I coached. [2015 graduate] Stuart Iverson and I went at it in the 50 Butterfly last year, and he got me. I’m looking for redemption this year.”
