By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD — The splashing, cheering, and intense summer heat all built to a thrilling crescendo on Saturday, July 11, as the Safford Pool hosted the annual summer swim season finals.
The highly anticipated event drew hundreds of spectators and brought together the region’s top young athletes from across the Gila Valley and Greenlee County—representing the Safford Bull Sharks, Pima Flippers, Thatcher Rays, and Morenci Manta Rays.
Safford did a spectacular job hosting the championship showcase, ensuring the fast-paced, multi-event schedule ran smoothly from the opening warmups to the final relay heat.
Parity Highlights the Pool
While the Pima Flippers entered the water with the largest roster of the day, dominance was spread evenly across the blocks.
The day was defined by remarkable parity, showcased by a handful of standout individual swimmers who swept their respective divisions. Instead of one team taking all the gold, division-sweepers emerged from different clubs, highlighting the depth of coaching and talent developed throughout the region this summer.
From veteran competitors shaving milliseconds off their personal bests to first-year swimmers making their very first competitive postseason splashes, the water was alive with competitive fire.
“They Put in the Work”—Thatcher’s Slow Start, Big Finish
For the Thatcher swim team, Saturday’s success was the result of a steady, grinding progression. Thatcher Head Coach Madison Webb reflected on how much the team grew after facing a challenging beginning to the summer.
“It’s been really fun. It’s been, it’s been busy, very busy,” Coach Webb said. “Our kids are in and out. We’ve had a lot of fun, lots of hard workers. It’s been my favorite season so far.”
Webb added that the turnaround this season was a testament to her swimmers’ grit. “The beginning of the season, we had a pretty slow start, and then our kids just showed up. They put in the work, they pushed really hard. They did so good, and they pushed through all of the hard workouts where we had kids throwing up and maybe crying, but they made it. And they did so good and I’m proud of all of our summer teams.”
“About Self-Improvement”—Pima Celebrates Major Time Drops
On the other side of the pool, Pima Flippers Head Coach Rebecca Johnson was thrilled to see her massive roster of athletes reap the rewards of their dedication.
“Well, we had a really good season,” Coach Johnson said. “The team has a lot of swimmers, so it’s always fun watching them improve throughout the year. And having them come to finals is the end result of all that hard work throughout the season. So watching them get a medal or watching them improve their time, it’s very fulfilling as a coach.”
Johnson noted that some of the season’s greatest victories didn’t even involve landing on top of the podium. “We saw some marked improvements. We had swimmers this season that it was their first season ever swimming, and by the end of the season, they were taking like a full minute off their time. And so that’s pretty impressive. Get out there and swim. It’s not always about winning; it’s about improvement, self-improvement, and always doing better.”
A Summer to Remember
With another successful summer swim season officially in the books, local families can look back on a tradition that continues to be one of the best ways to beat the heat in the Gila Valley. The community spirit, sportsmanship, and outstanding athleticism on display at the Safford Pool on Saturday proved that youth swimming in Graham and Greenlee counties is stronger than ever.
