Psyched on tradition

Manta Rays prepare for season's home meet

MOSES LAKE — As part of "psych up week," the Manta Rays laugh and declare winners in Tuesday's single-elimination water slide tournament. The finals were planned to be the best two out of three for the two finalists.

"Psych up week is tradition," said coach Tony Preston. "We do this every year the week before our home meet."

The week began with a decathlon that only had seven events due to time constraints. Wednesday is "crazy hair, wacky relay" day. Preston planned to dye his hair blonde and find some colored gel in preparation for the day. A "pig out breakfast" and "fashion show" will be held Thursday morning.

But on Friday, it is down to business. The morning will be spent setting up the Moses Lake Aquatic Center for the meet beginning that evening and mental and physical prep work.

The Manta Rays will host upward of 300 swimmers for the meet this weekend, ranging in ages from 5 to 21, with a wild card 46-year-old competing as well. Several teams from western Washington and two from Canada will make the trip for their last opportunity to record A section qualifying times this season.

"Home meets are always the easiest," said Preston. This weekend's meet will be the first for 10 of the Manta Rays.

"I'm expecting some breakthrough performances. The team has been working really hard." Preston said, adding that he expects to see good meets from Marshall Goodrich, Heidi and Erica Anderson and Natille Ruiz this weekend.

The meet will offer the standard butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle events and relays.

There is also a unique addition to the Manta Rays' meet — an eight-person mixed relay.

"It's fun because you could get an 18-year-old boy swimming with a 4-year-old girl on the same team," Preston said.

Warm-ups for the meet begin at 4:30 p.m., after the pool closes to the public, Friday. Saturday and Sunday warm-ups will begin at 7 a.m. with events beginning at 8:30 a.m. The pool will open to the public at 4 p.m. both days.

The meet is also a chance for the families and community to get involved in the action.

"If anyone wants to volunteer, we can find something for them to do," said Preston.

Notably absent from this weekend's home meet will be Mario Polito, who left for Federal Way and the Senior Sectionals Tuesday.

The Senior Sectionals features the best swimmers the Northwest has to offer and gives winners the possibility of qualifying for the Junior National cuts.

In preparation for the competition, Polito has been logging two-a-days in the pool, running and weightlifting.

He will compete in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. He considered competing in the breaststroke as well but opted against it.

"I'd like to swim in college. I don't know which college yet," Polito said.