County youth swim competitions start July 2

The Whitman County Summer Swim League will begin July 2.

In the meantime, teams from around the county have begun preparation.

The St. John-Endicott-LaCrosse (SEL) team had their second practice Tuesday night while the Colfax and Gar-Pal teams will be starting next week.

The first meets are Tuesday July 2 with Gar-Pal swimming against Pullman and Dayton at Pullman while Pomeroy, Tekoa-Oakesdale-Rosalia and SEL compete at Colfax.

Serena Fairbanks returns to coaching in Colfax after swimming in the program as a kid and coaching in Endicott in the late 1990s-early 2000s.

She said she has 42 kids signed up with registrations still coming in.

"We’re just encouraging kids to come out and swim," said Fairbanks.

The team will practice from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.

"We needed a coach and I love swimming," said Fairbanks.

In Palouse, Kelly Dow will again coach the Gar-Pal team, at the start of the season, until Cathy Blood returns from vacation.

Dow said she expects about 15 kids to come out for the first practice June 24, when they will register then. Thus, anyone may come out for the 12 a.m. practice and pay the $35 fee to join.

For the SEL team, two St. John-Endicott High School seniors to be, Jade Porubek and Sami Bailey, will coach for their second summer.

The meet schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, July 2:

Dayton, Gar-Pal at Pullman (Reaney Park)

Pomeroy, Tekoa-Oakesdale-Rosalia, St. John-Endicott-LaCrosse at Colfax

Tuesday, July 9:

Pomeroy, T.O.R. at Pullman

Colfax, S.E.L., Gar-Pal at Dayton

Thursday, July 11:

Colfax, S.E.L. at Pullman

Dayton, T.O.R., Gar-Pal at Colfax

Thursday, July 18:

Pomeroy, Colfax, S.E.L. at Gar-Pal (Garfield)

Pullman, T.O.R. at Dayton

Tuesday, July 23:

Pomeroy, S.E.L. at Dayton

Pullman, Gar-Pal, T.O.R. at Colfax

Thursday, July 25:

Pomeroy, Pullman, S.E.L., T.O.R. at Colfax

Tuesday, July 30:

Dayton, Gar-Pal at Colfax

Saturday, Aug. 3:

Whitman County Championship at Colfax