Dec. 29, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State swimming and diving team are packing their bags and heading down south to Florida for the next ten days. Traveling for competition is not something new for the `Birds it has been tradition for the team each season. Last season the team traveled to Southern California and got a chance to participate in The Price is Right. The team will start off this season's trip in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. competing in the Ed Kennedy Meet on Saturday, December 31 at 9 a.m.
Head coach Steve Paska is looking forward to reuniting with his team in the warmer weather.
"The first meet of the trip should be a fun," said Paska. "All of the competition is outside. Hopefully we have sun and good weather. We haven't been together as a team since the beginning of break. The girls have been training in their hometowns. I am looking forward to the team being together and starting up competition again."
The team has not had a meet since their victory at the SummaCare Invitational in Akron, Ohio. This trip will get the Redbirds back in the water. On New Years Eve day the team will be competing at the Ed Kennedy meet against a number of other teams ranging from division one to division three schools. There is not any diving in this meet and all of the swimming events are sprint and relay format.
"We are still trying to determine a line up," said Paska. "Each swimmer can only swim in two events. We are trying to place each member of the team appropriately to events. This meet will allow us to evaluate each team member and help us see where we are at this point in preparation for the Missouri Valley Championships."
After competing in the Ed Kennedy Meet the team will continue training in the warm weather in preparation for the Florida Atlantic Invitational in Boca Raton, Fla. This meet will conclude the trip and bring the team back home.
"We look forward to having a successful ten day trip," said Paska.
