Neptunes practice begins

With the Nevada Neptunes, there is competition, but the point is not so much the competition as it is to have fun. Still, the participants have to put a lot into it. As a result, they will receive a great experience that will be meaningful to them.

The interest and participation in the Nevada Neptunes is growing. The enrollment for this coming summer is approaching 100. A major reason that this group is of personal interest to me is that we have four grandchildren participating. In addition our son-in-law, Paul Eador, is the vice president of the organization and our daughter, Deborah, is the secretary. Heading up the group is Monty Smith, serving as president.

It is great to place in the competition, but the emphasis is not how a person swims in comparison to someone else, but to beat their own times -- to do better than they had before. That is what it is about -- doing their best.

The parents are given a parent handbook, which explains the program and what the participants will be doing as well as the expectations of the parents. It starts out with Ten Commandments for Swimming Parents. Each commandment is followed by an explanation. These commandments are:

1. Thou shalt not impose your ambitions on thy child.

2. Thou shalt be supportive no matter what.

3. Thou shalt not coach your child.

4. Thou shalt only have positive things to say at a swimming meet.

5. Thou shalt acknowledge thy child's fears.

6. Thou shalt not criticize the officials.

7. Honor thy child's coach.

8. Thou shall not jump from team to team.

9. Thy child shalt have goals besides winning.

10. Thou shalt not expect thy child to become an Olympian.

Practice will start next Tuesday -- the day after Memorial Day -- May 29. The swimmers will be divided into three groups, Gold Group, experienced swimmers; Silver Group, intermediate swimmers and; Bronze group, beginner swimmers. The coaches will place the swimmer in the appropriate group and can be changed during the season depending on swimmers abilities and practice behavior. Swimmers in the Gold group will practice 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Monday through Friday; swimmers in the Silver group practice 8 to 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday; swimmers in the Bronze group practice 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday. There will be one evening start and turn practice for Gold and Silver groups, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

This will be the sixth year for Karen Claypool to coach the Nevada Neptunes. She coached in towns of Butler and Grandview for nine years. She swam competitively for 17 years.

Angela Kearbey is the assistant coach. Also assisting will be Kristen Bagley. Angela coached the USS year-around swim team Jasper County Killer Whales in Webb City for six years. Kristen has swum for the Neptunes since age 7, as well as for the Nevada High Tigers Swim Team.

The swimmers going to meets will have a busy schedule with eight weekend meets and two or three dual meets usually held in the evenings. Locations of the meets include Joplin, Lamar, Springfield, Monett, Pittsburg, Carthage, Claremore, Okla., and Siloam Springs, Ark. One of the meets will be an invitational at Nevada on June 30. The committee is expecting approximately 1,000 persons in attendance, with approximately 500 swimmers and the rest parents and spectators. That will be a major event for this community.

The swimmers and families are out a great amount of funds to participate in this program throughout the summer. Some of the expenses that the Neptunes have include the use of the pool, the lifeguards, the coaches, the ribbons and medals and other expenses.

To enable the Neptunes to pay for the expenses, there is an annual fee of $40 for the first swimmer in the family; $30 for each additional sibling. In addition there is a $50 fee for each swimmer to pay for fund-raising, every season. Deb said that the group has been selling Domino's pizza coupons to raise funds. Pork and processing has been donated and a drawing will be held at the end of Bushwhacker Days to determine the winner among those making a donation. There will be a stand at Bushwhacker Days where they will be selling "Dip'n Dots." Other costs swimmers have includes their swimming suit, goggles, swimming caps, fees for meets as well as the costs for traveling to the meets.

For additional information contact one of the officers, Monty Smith, (417) 667-2130; Paul Eador, (417) 667-7325 or Deborah Ernsbarger (417) 667-4115.

May each Neptune do their best and have fun. It is a great program and will require a great amount of cooperation among the families and support from the community.