El Dorado to host final home meet on Tuesday
El Dorado's swim teams will host a tri-meet Tuesday at HealthWorks Fitness Center. It will be the final home meet of the season for the Wildcats and Lady Cats, who take on Camden Fairview and Magnolia.
“They're pretty excited about this one. We're going to introduce the seniors since this is the last home meet. I think they're pretty pumped about that,” said El Dorado coach Courtney McDiarmid Canady. “We're supposed to have the boys' soccer team coming that will help be the timers for this meet. Having their classmates there pumps them up as well.”
El Dorado is coming off a huge meet in Conway on Thursday with 15 schools.
For this meet, Canady hopes the hometown water can push her swimmers to faster times. El Dorado is trying to get as many competitors as possible into the upcoming state meet, which has qualifying times for each event.
“We have a lot that have been on the verge of qualifying for state. I'm hoping we will get some more qualifying times for this one,” said Canady, who said the smaller field isn't necessarily conducive to faster times.
“I'd say the more competition you have, the higher chance you have of qualifying because there are more people that can push you. There are times you're trying to hit. It doesn't matter what you place you are at the meet.”
Canady, a former swimmer at El Dorado and Ouachita Baptist, is in her first season as the leader of the program. She said she's been pleased with the results and the progress of her swimmers.
“I feel like they're doing pretty well. They've been putting in the work at practice. I think it's starting to pay off,” she said. “We'll have a lot going to state this year. All three of the boys' relays have qualified and all of the girls' relays qualified. We're looking at taking at least 16 people to state.”
The meet is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.