Tianni Arsenault loves to give back.

At 14, she is grateful for the opportunity she was given in life to thrive by her adoptive parents, Rheal and Nikki Arsenault, who put her into all kinds of activities to allow her to find that one place she felt the most comfortable.

That place was the swimming pool. And after she discovered swimming, and found she was actually pretty darned good at it B次元官网网址� she has swam competitively with Island Swimming for the past few years B次元官网网址� it wasnB次元官网网址檛 long before she was keen to get her schoolmates at Spencer middle school involved in the sport.

What started with four recreational swimmers became seven last year and jumped to 13 members this year.

B次元官网网址淧utting it on the announcements every day really helped,B次元官网网址� says Tianni, who put up posters the first couple years to bring attention to the opportunity for students. With the Grade 9 student serving as a kind of B次元官网网址渋n-water coachB次元官网网址� and supporter, the club is thriving.

Spencer teacher-sponsor Donna Sagodi says while the swim club was not necessarily designed to be competitive, most of the swimmers chose to enter races and test their skills, aiming to improve their times.

B次元官网网址淲e tell people that everyone can compete, no matter what level youB次元官网网址檙e at,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淪ome people even used the swim club to do cross training.B次元官网网址�

The goal, she says, is to keep the swim club going at Spencer next year and, with the help of Rheal and Nikki, whose children have all gone to Willway elementary, work on getting clubs in place there and at Ruth King elementary, the other feeder school for Spencer.

Spencer swimmers competed in the recent Greater Victoria regional school meet, and some qualified for last SundayB次元官网网址檚 championships at Commonwealth Pool. Rheal says virtually all of those who competed Sunday achieved personal best times in certain events, making it a B次元官网网址渧ery successful meet for the Spencer swim team.B次元官网网址�

Tianni says the swimmers were excited about competing against people from elsewhere in the region.

B次元官网网址淭hey were saying, B次元官网网址業 canB次元官网网址檛 wait for Wednesday,B次元官网网址� even though they were a bit nervous,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e all worked really hard this year.B次元官网网址�

Lara Kardash, who works for West Shore Parks and Recreation at the Juan de Fuca pool, where the Spencer team trains, coaches the school team in her role with Island Swimming. She agrees with Tianni that the middle schoolers have made great strides this season.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen huge, huge improvement in the group since the beginning of the year,B次元官网网址� Kardash says.

In a sport that often attracts people who like more individual pursuits than team efforts, the coach likes the chances of the team continuing to expand, despite the fact that six members are moving up to high school next fall.

B次元官网网址淚 wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be surprised if all of them came back,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e doing great and they love it. TheyB次元官网网址檙e totally gung ho and they work hard. IB次元官网网址檓 really proud of the team, the fitness level increased for the whole team.B次元官网网址�

As for Tianni, a breaststroke specialist who swims five times a week with the Island Swimming group B次元官网网址� sometimes twice a day B次元官网网址� her goal is to continue improving her own personal best times and secure a swimming scholarship, either at the University of Victoria or UBC.

B次元官网网址淚 definitely want a job or a career in the water sports area,B次元官网网址� she says. She already volunteers at the Juan de Fuca pool helping little ones with swimming lessons. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 want to be close to the water somehow. I just feel really comfortable there.B次元官网网址�

In the near term, she plans to work on getting a swim club started at Belmont secondary, which does not have one at this point. Given her determination and her energy level, thereB次元官网网址檚 no reason to believe she wonB次元官网网址檛 succeed there, too.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com

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