Finn Price (center) signs up to be a college swimmer. (Photos courtesy Rachel Price-Rayner and Willie Smith)
His name is on the dotted line, and soon his body will be back in the water.
Coupeville High School senior Finn Price, a three-time state meet participant, officially signed his letter of intent to swim for Whitman College Tuesday afternoon.
Making it official.
The Lone Wolf, who made the daily trek to Mukilteo the last four years to train and compete with Kamiak since CHS doesn’t have its own pool or aquatic program, was joined by family and friends as he put pen to paper.
That included Kamiak swim coach Chris Erickson and South Whidbey High School water wizard Jack Hempel, who has been longtime swim buddies with Price.
Alexandra Lo slashes through the water. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
The lone wet Wolf continues to impress in the pool.
Coupeville High School freshman Alexandra Lo travels and trains with Oak Harbor since CHS doesn’t have a swim program.
Now, with the postseason upon her, Lo headed off to Anacortes this weekend, where she participated in the 1A/2A district meet.
All while still repping a 2B school.
Lo earned 6th place in the 200-meter freestyle and 12th in the 100-meter in her first run at postseason aquatic glory.
A Wolf ready to prowl the water in Anacortes. (Photo courtesy Brad Sherman)
The season is likely over for the Wolf fab frosh, though there is still a chance she could pick up a wild card entry to the state meet if things break right.
Either way, Coupeville’s swim ace will stay in the pool, as she competes with the North Whidbey Aquatic Club.
Lo is the lone Wolf girl currently involved in high school swimming — though former Coupeville student Riley White also made it to districts, but as a member of the Oak Harbor squad.
CHS junior Finn Price will hit the pool this winter, once again wearing Wolf red and black, but joining South Whidbey swimmers in training and traveling with Kamiak during the regular season.
Ready to rule the pool. (Photos courtesy Tiffany Wheeler-Thompson)
Local athletes made a big splash over the weekend.
Team Whidbey competed at the Washington State Special Olympics Games Saturday, cutting through the water on its way to multiple medals.
That squad was at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, while another group of Whidbey athletes vied in track and field at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma.
The swim team is coached by Shari Mays, while Chris Becker leads the track stars.
Team Whidbey athletes racked up medals in Federal Way.
Bowling is next up for Whidbey’s Special Olympics athletes, starting in August at Oak Bowl.
“It’s a great way to promote “get off the screen” time for ages eight and up with a disability,” said parent Tiffany Wheeler-Thompson. “No skills needed to participate.
“Great way to meet new friends for the athletes and the families.”
To contact local coaches, email wispecialolympics@gmail.com.
Ethan Tack (left) closed his college swimming career with four titles in his final meet. (Photo courtesy Thomas Tack)
Straight out of Coupeville, and still the fastest guy in the pool.
Ethan Tack, who first started swimming at Oak Harbor’s John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool, was once a student in Deb Sherman’s class at Coupeville Elementary.
Now, he’s a veteran of the US Olympic Team trials who just wrapped his competitive swim career at the Naval Academy.
Tack went out with a bang, winning Patriot League Championship titles in four events en route to being tabbed as the swimmer of the meet.
He tapped the wall first in the 200 IM (1:44.58), 400 IM (3:48.60), and 200 fly (1:43.89), while also swimming a leg on the fastest 800 free relay team (6:23.01).
Tack finished his college career having scored the most meet points of any graduating senior at Navy.
The Midshipmen finished the league championships with 874 points, easily winning the team battle over runners-up Army (740.5) and Bucknell (559.5).
One of five brothers in the Tack family — oldest son Spencer was an All-League First-Team soccer player at Coupeville High School — Ethan has been pursuing a degree in computer engineering.
He commissions May 27, then reports to Navy flight school June 3.
Former Coupeville student Ethan Tack will swim in the US Olympic Team Trials. (Photo courtesy Tom Tack)
And then there were two.
Ethan Tack has become the second former Coupeville student in recent times to qualify for the US Olympic Team Trials, following in the footsteps of marathoner Kyle King.
Tack, who swam for the North Whidbey Aquatic Club and attended Coupeville Elementary, eventually transitioned to the East Coast after a family move.
He now lives on Long Island, and is a rising senior at the Naval Academy.
Tack qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 200 individual medley and competes June 17 in Omaha, Nebraska for a spot on the team headed to Tokyo.
The Navy has a program-record 24 swimmers competing in the trials.
During their time on Whidbey, the Tack family were at the forefront of the local swim scene.
“Ethan started his journey to the trials while at Coupeville Elementary and swimming for NWAC while cutting a few of Mrs. Sherman’s classes for practice and meets,” said dad Tom Tack. “I believe he’s the first NWAC alum to ever make the trials, though I’m not positive.”
After moving East, Ethan Tack eventually graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School, where he lettered in swim all four years.
His team won the New York State Public High School Championship in 2016 and 2017, while Tack twice earned All-State honors.
Also a Scholastic All-American, he was the county championship meet MVP in 2018, competing on both the club and school level.
Since arriving at the Naval Academy, where is he pursuing a computer engineering major, Tack has earned First-Team All-Patriot League honors twice.
He will be the second member of his family to graduate from the academy, following in the footsteps of his father.
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