POCATELLO — The Portneuf Valley Swim Team Krakens will host a sanctioned USA Swimming meet Saturday for the first time in six years, welcoming approximately 150 athletes from across the Gem State.
The event, named the Lucky Duck Swim Meet, runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Idaho State University’s recently renovated Reed Gym and is open to swimmers across Idaho ranging in age from 4 to 80. Admission is free for spectators, and the swim team will sell heat sheets, a printed program that lists the order of events, and concessions at the meet.
“We have anywhere from 150 to 200 swimmers competing across all types of age groups,” said Amber Taylor, meet director for the Portneuf Valley Swim Team. “You have your younger swimmers who are learning more basic techniques. It’s a little different than traditional swimming lessons — it’s more about learning the actual technique of all four swimming strokes.
Taylor added, “USA Swimming is the pathway to the Olympics. We have a lot of really competitive kids on our team who ultimately strive for those kinds of goals. This paves the way for that elite level of swimming. We’ve had quite a few kids from the Kraken swim team go on to swim in college.”
The Krakens swim year-round, breaking only in August. The team is coached by John Twist, who Taylor says constantly encourages his swimmers and emphasizes that swimming is a lifelong skill everyone should have.
Many team members also hold memberships at the Pocatello Community Recreation Center, where they swim Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. Their dedication helps keep the rec center active and well-used. About 30 to 40 Kraken swimmers compete regularly, Taylor said.
Because the Portneuf Valley Swim Team is a nonprofit, swim meets and other events are among its primary sources of funding. In past years, families have had to travel to meets in places such as Idaho Falls — about four per year — or make the longer trip to Boise.
“Being able to host something like this in Pocatello is huge,” Taylor said. “We’re going to be able to bring this meet back into our fundraising, which pays for things like dues for kids who maybe can’t afford to participate. It also helps with gear and equipment, because that type of stuff for a pool is very expensive. We help kids get to national meets and travel and things like that. A lot of what comes out of the fundraising directly impacts the swimmers themselves.”
To help fund the program, the Krakens charge a $20 entry fee per swimmer. About 90 participants from outside the Portneuf Valley Swim Team are expected to compete, generating roughly $2,000 to help team members reach their potential.
The Krakens also provide key support to Reed Gym through their investment in equipment, including the facility’s aquatic timing system — technology designed to automate timing, judging and scoring in competitive swimming. The systems are also used in everyday athlete training.
“We pay for all the lane lines,” Taylor said. “We pay for the swim blocks, we pay for all the fins — basically all the equipment. If you go to the rec center at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, you’re going to see a lot of lane lines. Those big reels with the lane lines in there — those are actually part of our swim team. The clocks and timing systems at the rec center are ours, too. We have a really good relationship with the rec center.”
Taylor also credited the team’s seven coaches, who include former college swimmers and advanced-certified instructors who began as competitive high school swimmers. Certified USA Swimming volunteer officials will also attend the meet — referees who in some cases go on to officiate at the Olympic level.
“We have quite a collaboration between all the teams in the southeastern Idaho and Boise regions,” Taylor said. “We go and help them. They come and help us. Unlike other sports, our referees aren’t paid — it’s all on a volunteer basis. That kind of plays into the nonprofit model as well, in terms of people dedicating their time and efforts. That’s why it’s important to come support these events.”
With families traveling from as far as Idaho Falls and Boise, the meet could also provide a boost to the local economy, as visiting families often book hotel rooms, dine at local restaurants and shop at area stores.
“As swim meets become a routine thing, it can grow,” Taylor said. “Like any big tournament, the more well-known it becomes, the more athletes you draw. We’re hoping to eventually attract swimmers from Utah. Right now, that’s not really an opportunity that’s available — for our swimmers to go there or for theirs to come here. We’re opening that pathway, hopefully in the future.”
The meet marks an exciting milestone for the region’s athletes and families, reducing the need for long-distance travel and opening access to competitive swimming for children in nearby rural communities.
“In Pocatello, nobody knows we really even have a competitive swim team,” Taylor said. “It brings awareness to the sport, because when kids have to travel to Boise, the only people going with them are their parents. You’re not getting grandparents, aunts and uncles or a larger community audience.”
Taylor continued, “Hosting here makes it available to more kids — especially those in rural areas who wouldn’t normally be able to do this. Kids who compete usually swim longer in their careers. And having a facility like ISU creates an opportunity: if you have higher-level swimming happening here, it shows there’s a pool of kids and people interested in the sport in this area, which may help open up a program.”