Who are the “Raiders” of the Rutherford County Swim Team?
In
1988, an interested group of parents and a motivated group of swimmers decided
to form a year around, competitive, United States Swimming sanctioned swim team.
It was decided that the team would be public and non-profit. The charter was
secured and by-laws were developed. Isothermal Community College offered the
team the opportunity to use their facility and consider it the “Home” of the
Raiders. We have continued to be a parent run, but swimmer sensitive team ever
sense.
The
team went through two head coaches fairly quickly and then was blessed by
“Uncle” Chuck Stockton taking over the reins. Through his efforts, the team
produced numerous swimmers who have been ranked highly in the state by NC
Swimming and the NCHSAA. Among some of the more notable swimmers have been:
Wendy Henson; a wonderful freestyle swimmer who began her career with RCST and
whose Freestyle records as a NCHSAA State Champion still stand. Wendy went on to
be a USA Olympic team candidate. Sean
Stockton, was another Freestyle swimmer, NCHSAA, 3-A, State Champion, and great all around
competitor. Sean went on to swim for Clemson University. Brian Oglesby who was a fierce competitor
and who went on to swim for UNC-Charlotte. Reyn Landreth who went on to swim for
the West Point Military Academy. Kelly Landreth was a NCHSAA, 4-A, High
School State Champion and
went to UNC as a Morehead Scholar. David Kernodle, US Swimming, North Carolina, State
Champion in Butterfly at age 10 and two-time NCHSAA, 3-A, High School State
Champion in Backstroke. Allison Cochran, two-time NCHSAA, 3-A, High School State
Champion in Breaststroke
and who went on to swim for Georgia Southern. Most recently, Emily Powell,
NCHSAA, 3-A, High School State Champion in Backstroke, who will travel to Emory and swim for them this fall.
Although,
these are some of the more notable swimmers, the skills learned from the
discipline, dedication and hard work by all the swimmers are the real
attributes identified with this team. Our swimmers have always reflected the
best in sportsmanship, self-discipline, focus, willingness to work hard,
learning to cope
with defeat, and to remain humble in victory. These are life skills that will never
loose their place in the individual’s quest to be successful.
We
are the Rutherford County Swim Team!!! We are the “Raiders”!!! We are
RCST!!!