Manta Rays off to fast start

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Manta Rays swim team is off to a solid start this season after adding a pair of new coaches to the program.

Manta Rays head coach Steve Witcher said new coaches Melody Johnston and Annalee Courtright are assets to the Moses Lake program.

“Both coaches are experienced, knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about being new additions to our team,” he said. “Since I got here we have had to rely on high school swimmers, which isn’t a bad thing, but they leave us with having to replace them with new coaches too often.”

Johnston comes to the Manta Rays program from Spokane, Wash., and Courtright is from Moses Lake and Witcher believes his new coaches will help the Manta Rays improve throughout the year.

“Our hope with the new coaches is to add a more mature and experienced aspect to our program to help us both improve the quality of our technique and the quality of our performance as swimmers advance through our beginning levels and into our competitive program,” he said.

The Manta Rays’ competitive stoke program is new this season and Witcher said it is an opportunity for swimmers to learn the ins and outs of the sport.

“It is an introductory program for swimmers who want to learn all the basics of what we do with the Manta Rays as far as strokes, turns, dives, and general rules,” he said.

The Moses Lake Manta Rays began early this month but are still accepting registrations from prospective participants. For more information, contact Witcher at 509-431-7222.