The Chillicothe Swim Team opens its season, Saturday, hosting River Valley. Hanna Lundy is the team's lone senior and captain, while other returning athletes include: MacKenzie Smittly, Chianne Burgin, Hannah Arth, Anna DeGarmo, and Abby Guerra, Jessica Limle..

Coach Pam Allen said the girls will be competitive in distance, fly, breast stroke, individual medley, and relays; however, she said the team is special in that the members support each other and have a great sense of camaraderie.

"We have a couple girls who never swam in their life, and they're out there, and there's my swimmers that have swam all their lives cheering them on," she said.

On the boys side, there are no seniors but returning swimmers include Per Peterson, David Masters, Lander Zook, and Dominic Villareal.

Coach Allen said when Peterson was a freshman, there were only two athletes on the team, so they were only able to compete in two individual events.

Now a junior, Peterson successfully recruited others and encouraged them to join the squad, so new to the team this year are Matthew Hurtt, Tommy Conaway, Jaeron Beverly, Joel DeGarmo, and Cain Wissler, who must sit out from competition this year due to the fact that he went to a different school last year.

"I think we're going to do well; I think we're going to win meets now that I have that many boys," said Coach Allen. "A lot of times I lost a meet because I didn't have numbers."

 Click here to hear Vanessa Doyle's interview with Coach Allen.