By TIM TAYLORTioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — The numbers continue to grow with the Owego girls swimming and diving program, a huge increase from the small turnout the River Hawks had just a couple of years ago.
“We have 20 girls signed up, the most we've had in a long time,” said second-year coach Summer Pierce.
The increase in numbers from eight in 2023 is definitely a nice calling card for the program’s recruiting process as Pierce looks to tap into the team's potential.
“Everyone wants to be part of a big team, so the more numbers we have the more appealing it is, I would say, to everyone,” Pierce said. “The more points we could score at a meet, the more meets we could win, the higher we can place at sectionals, all of that. And we'll be able to swim all three relays, have multiples of all three relays, because every girl can swim four events at the meet. We'll have a full roster, a full meet lineup.”
Despite graduating one of the most successful divers in Section IV, the River Hawks will still have a diver competing, something several schools are unable to do.
Experience seems to be spread fairly evenly among Pierce’s group.
“I'd say we're pretty even, about four or five per class,” Pierce said. “Some have zero experience swimming and some are looking to make the state cut this year, and everything in between that as well.”
Due to construction at Owego, the River Hawks are holding practices at Tioga and are expected to compete on the road to start the season.
“They're telling me sometime in September,” Pierce said of a possible return to the Owego pool. “We'll be here at Tioga until then and all of our September swim meets are moved to away, so lots of travel.
“This pool has everything we need, it's right down the road, so I think in the situation we're put in, it's the best-case scenario.”
Following a successful career at Owego and UMass, Pierce returned home in 2024 to join the coaching ranks at Owego.
“I learned so much,” she said of her rookie season. “My goal was to make the whole team better, but I think because we have so many different skill levels, it was really hard. Now I have a full staff. I have an assistant coach, a new diving coach, so we have more eyes. We can run multiple practices, kind of get everyone what they need, and I think that'll just help us even more this year.”
Owego opens the season Sept. 6 at Waverly’s Wolverine Invite.
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IN PHOTO 1: Summer Pierce (left) returns for her second season at Owego with greater numbers. IN TOP PHOTO: Owego will be able to compete in all 12 events, something it was unable to do just two years ago. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
