Lake Monsters making a splash
Carrie Pichler
Swimmers work on their backstroke during practice. The Lake Monsters participants range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
Carrie Pichler
Members of the Lake Monsters swim team go through drills on the deck at Mission Valley Aquatic Center.
Carrie Pichler
Lake Monsters' participants range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
Carrie Pichler
Members of the Lake Monsters swim team participants range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
Carrie Pichler
Members of the Lake Monsters swim team range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
Carrie Pichler
Members of the Lake Monsters swim team range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
Carrie Pichler
Members of the Lake Monsters swim team range in age from 6 years old to 20 years old.
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With the opening of the Mission Valley Aquatic Center came summer swim lessons, and with those lessons a budding USA swim team.
Under the guidance of swim coach Mark Johnston and assistants Dana Johnston and Jeff Smith, the Lake Monsters are well on their way to making a splash on the USA swim circuit.
The idea for organizing a team came from the people that were instrumental in getting the pool built, as many of them had been competitive swimmers in the past.
“It has always been one of the main cornerstones of this building to have a competitive swim team,” said Mark Johnston.
About 50 swimmers came to make their swim debut, one of the biggest turnouts in the state, according to assistant coach Smith. With ages 6 to 20 competing on different levels, lessons are diverse yet synchronized. More than once head coach Johnston could be heard saying, “don’t be afraid to raise your hand.”
Husband/wife co-coaches Mark and Dana Johnston came from the Denver area and brought 15 years experience coaching swim teams. Assistant Jeff Smith has coached in the Whitefish swim program and has been helped coach high school swim teams in Washington State. Not only do the coaches put time in coaching, they also take some of the brunt of running the aquatic facility. From teachers, to maintenance, to helping out front, it takes tremendous dedication.
From lake swimmers to chlorine, the kids are excelling under the guidance of their coaching staff. Growing up bobbing in Flathead Lake has been a great tool for Mission Valley swimmers.
“The vision I have for the team is yeah, it’s a good competitive swim team in the pool, but we take this to the open water as well,” he said. “There’s such a great opportunity out there in Flathead Lake to make it kind of a special experience from people coming from all over the place. Anybody can swim in a 25-yard pool but there’s not many that can swim a 28-mile lake.”
The Lake Monsters have the opportunity to compete against not only Montana’s other 19 teams but out of state as well. Being a part of the USA Swimming organization — the same organization that sanctions the USA Olympics Swim Team — the Lake Monsters is the first step for future Olympic competitors.
“We are essentially on the same team as Michael Phelps,” Johnston said.
The Mission Valley Aquatic Center is working toward hosting meets as soon as January. In the future, it hopes to sponsor a high school team.
Although the Lake Monsters have received help from parents, they are always on the lookout for volunteers. Anybody is invited to take part in the program, from officials to clean-up crew.
For more information on volunteering or providing a cheering crowd for these young athletes, check out www.lakemonsters.org.
