Gig Harbor swim wins district title, eyes top-10 finish at state meet

The Gig Harbor boys swim team is riding high after taking first in the Class 3A West Central District III Boys Swim & Dive Championships. The team took first with 251 points and are now looking ahead to how best to prepare for state.

“The boys are pretty excited. They know that they had a pretty good meet and they’re happy with the results from that,” Coach Mike Kelly said. “Right now this week we’re just getting back to do a little more yardage and not tapering. Next week we’ll get back into taper mode which is prepping for the state races.”

Even with that excitement, Kelly wants to temper expectations for how the team will do up against the tough competition at state.

“The reality is that the 3A classification in swimming and diving is phenomenally tough with perennial favorites like Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island, Lakeside, Bellevue. This year O’Dea has got a really strong boys team,” Kelly said. “We’re not thinking in any way of winning state, nor probably will we ever be in that position, but we want to go to state and have a good showing.”

Kelly still has hopes that the team could make a solid run but reaffirmed the team still has a tough road ahead of them.

“We don’t really have the depth,” Kelly said. “That top twelve, top ten isn’t unobtainable but again the 3A is really competitive especially with athletes coming out of the District II.”

One of the unexpected members of the team that brought a modicum of depth is sophomore Billy Oates.

He won as part of the 200 medley relay team plus the 400 freestyle relay team as well as individually in the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.

“As a team, I think we did really well at districts and I’m really excited for state to see what I can do,” Oates said. “I think our relays did really well especially that 4x100 because just some of my friends dropped a lot of time. I think that was also my best performance at the meet.”

Even with the success, Oates still sees areas that the team can improve moving forward. “There are definitely some improvements to be made that I think I can make at state,” Oates said. “I think my stroke, my rate, was a little off on the 100 back and I think mostly just not great warmup or warm down on my part for both events.”

What specifically was wrong with his stroke?

“I don’t think it was as fluid. It was a little bit more of a gallop and it threw me off,” Oates said. Oates has aspirations for himself at state but isn’t too invested in the end result. “Just to come close to my best times. If it doesn’t work out, and I don’t do a best time, I won’t be super disappointed because that happens,” Oates said.

With that being said, Oates remains more optimistic about the team’s chances even in the face of tough competition.

“I think we are able to compete with the other teams,” Oates said. “I would love to see our team do as well as we did at state last year or maybe even a little bit better.”

The team finished fifth last year with a score of 123. For reference, Bainbridge Island would win the meet with a score of 414.

“I think that there is a lot of big competition but I still think that we as a team are capable,” Oates said. “A really good mentality going into the meet will be really beneficial.”

Oates was not expected to come out for the team at the beginning of the season. He made a surprise return which gave the team a much needed boost and was part of Kelly being happy with how things went.

“The district meet was fabulous. You couldn’t have asked for more, especially looking at this team the first week,” Kelly said. “I knew the potential was there and the reintroduction of Billy certainly bolstered our ability to do things.”

Even as only a sophomore, Kelly is confident that he will be ready for state even as it’s a step up.

“He was dominating in his victories at the district meet and you know when you go from districts up to state you’re getting to a whole different level. I think he’s prepared. He’s a seasoned veteran at this point even though he is just a sophomore,” Kelly said. “He’s been in this situation so I don’t think anything is going to be a distraction for him. He’ll just have to bring his very best on both days to be successful at the end of the meet.”

Oates said that this year has the chance to be better because of that experience the team has had with being there before.

“The first time you go to any big meet you’re in a new realm. I think that this year, we could compete better because now we’re used to the environment,” Oates said. “It is really just putting my all into every event and getting my team to feel really good about themselves and how well we can do.”

He shared in Kelly’s confidence and pointed to the team’s strengths in the relay.

“I noticed that at, for example Swimvitational, we really did well in our first relay and it set everyone in a really positive mindset and everyone performed really well. I think that they can definitely happen again at state,” Oates said. “Even if it doesn’t go off really strong, keeping everyone positive will still set a good mindset.”

He also shared in who the dream lineup of who he would want in the medley relay. “So far our best seasonal medley relay was myself, Drew, Carson, and Michael,” Oates said. “I swam backstroke, Drew swam fly, Carson swam breastroke, and Micheal swam freestyle. We did really well and I’d like to see that happen again.”

Oates further elaborated how the team will need to maintain a positive mindset and how it’s on everyone to pick each other up.

“It’s on everyone to do that. You see one teammate who might be bummed about a race they didn’t do their best in and getting them back to a really good mindset can help them have a good meet still,” Oates said.

It also helps that the team has technical strengths when it comes to each individual stroke.

“I think that we’re in a very good spot to do well together,” Oates said. “I think, one, we’re all good at helping each other out. Also, just everyone is their specific stroke. That’s really useful during the medley relay.”

All this speaks to how Oates feels connected to the team that is traveling to state.

“I love being with my team and for the most part I’m pretty sure they really enjoy my energy,” Oates said.

Only time will tell if that energy pays off for them, but one thing is for sure: the event is sure to be an exciting one for the team to participate in no matter what happens.

“We still have a few good races that have yet to unfold for us and I’m excited,” Kelly said. “It is going to be exciting and it is going to be fast, that is for sure.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 6:00 AM.