Feeling the Effects of the Olympics at Home

By Carl Smith

Feeling the Effects of the Olympics at Home

June 18, 2010 Updated Sep 3, 2008 at 9:27 PM EST

FORT WAYNE, IN (Indiana's News Center)---The olympics may be over, but "the wave of swimming" in the summer games is causing a ripple-effect right here in Fort Wayne.
Wednesday night was the first day of the Fort Wayne YMCA's "sharks swim team" practice.
Parents and coaches agree that the Beijing games have had some influence on bringing new faces to the pool.

Nick Kobelja, Swim Coach: " The U.S Swim Team did phenomenally well this year of course Michael Phelps everybody knows about. Really all of the Olympic team did really well and I expect that there's going to be a lot of interest in swimming because of it."
Barb Powers, Mother of 7: " My son who is 14 had to watch every single event of Michael Phelps and replay it and replay it and watch it on the internet and decided he was going to be just like Michael Phelps. So yes I definitely think it has inspired them or motivated them more."
Angie Schroeder, First Time: "I think that it did help get us here today so this is our first day here and the girls are really excited about doing this."
The sharks team practices twice per week and has two swim meets a month.
The central YMCA is conducting registration for the 'sharks' team from now until December.




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