Special Connections swim team sends 12 to state for third year in a row

The Special Connections of Grundy County swim team is building a real dynasty.

For the third straight year, all 12 swimmers have earned a trip to the Illinois Special Olympics in Bloomington.

Six swimmers walked away with three gold medals. There’s a lot of excitement in the air for the state competition in June, but the athletes are looking as forward to the trip out of town as competing.

“Everybody’s kind,” said Nick Holm, who competes in the 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle and swims the second leg for the Red 4x25-meter relay team. “Not everybody’s kind these days, and that’s the one place everybody’s kind. It’s around the swimming pool.”

Despite swimming’s individual nature, the Special Connections swim team has a lot of camaraderie among its athletes.

Layla Hicks encourages everyone to swim, as there’s a lot to learn and a lot of benefits.

“It’s really good for you,” Hicks said. “You get stronger, and you get to socialize. ... I like my teammates a lot. That’s what I like the most.”

The team will travel to Bloomington, spend the nights of the Special Olympics competition together in a hotel, and participate in noncompetition activities such as the opening ceremonies and a dance. Many swimmers are looking forward to the dance as much as the competition.

“It’s going into the water and going underwater, going to competitions,” said Dominyk Zavala, who swims in the 50-meter backstroke and 50-meter freestyle. “Then going back into the water and going underwater again.”

Zavala enjoys swimming and working with his teammates. He swims the backstroke leg for the medley relay.

Coach Tina Nall said the team wasn’t sure whether everyone would make it this year, with two still needing to medal in their sectional competition to qualify. Lori Jean Harvell knew she needed a medal to return to the state competition, while Marcus Bennett didn’t think he had to medal and did anyway.

Both won medals, and Harvell hopes to hear “We are the Champions” again after her next competition. It’s her favorite song.

Harvell has been participating in the Special Olympics since 1997, and she said the torch run to kick off the games is her favorite part every year.

Coach Lynda Kirkman said she changed some things this year because she had so many returning swimmers from last year. The team brought back Drew Kirkman, Anna Gilchrist, Shannon Wexell, Nathanial Graziano and Keith Siron, each of whom will participate in the state competition again. Also returning is Mackenzie Blair, who swam for Special Connections years ago but moved away for a few years.

“We added stretching beforehand, which brings the team together, helps eliminate muscle cramps and has improved their endurance,” Kirkman said. “We also do high-intensity training during warm-ups.”

The swimmers appreciate the change. For some, it brought a beneficial routine to their regular practices.

“It’s made them more focused, and it’s made them work more together as a team,” Kirkman said. “But they’re more independent also. They get their stuff done, and they know what to expect.”

Coach Deirdre Hicks said the support they have from the families is a unifying force.

“When we go to sectionals, we have the biggest cheering section there,” Hicks said. “It’s mind-blowing the amount of support we get from the parents and families.”

Nall said one of the reasons this is all possible is because of the lifeguards, Tina Ericks and Jake Kuziel. Kuziel was at the pool Thursday and said it was a fun experience.

“It’s fun seeing everyone doing their best,” Kuziel said. “I started halfway through the season, and I’ve learned about them and gotten to know what they’re like. They’ve improved a lot since the first time I saw them, and I hope they continue to improve and do well.”

Nall said that one area where Special Connections differs is that it doesn’t allow athletes to specialize in one specific event. They have 12 athletes, so they have three relay teams. The swimmers get to pick two other events they participate in. The idea, Nall said, is to have them be well-rounded in all aspects of swimming.