All five Clermont County swim teams competed in the SWOCC, including Milford, who hosted prelims on Saturday, Jan. 17.
All five Clermont County swim teams competed in the SWOCC, including Milford, who hosted prelims on Saturday, Jan. 17.

By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

All five Clermont County swim teams competed in the annual Southwest Ohio High School Swimming and Diving Classic over the Jan. 17 weekend, the nation’s largest high school invitational.

122 schools, including swimmers and divers from Amelia, Bethel-Tate, Glen Este, Milford and New Richmond, were represented across nine preliminary locations on Saturday, Jan. 17.

Miami University and the University of Cincinnati, Mason High School, Milford High School, Trotwood-Madison High School, Countryside YMCA in Lebanon, Dayton Raider Aquatic Center in Beavercreek and the West Carrollton YMCA all held preliminary competition. Amelia, Glen Este, Milford and New Richmond competed at Milford, while Bethel-Tate swam at Mason.

The 32nd installment of the SWO Coaches Classic, as the event is also called, featured over 2,900 swimmers and 160 divers.

The tournament is used as a barometer by which schools can measure themselves with the sectional tournament less than a month away.

Aside from the grueling two-day grind, swimmers can also compete in longer NCAA and USA Swimming events that are usually not contested at high school meets.

Outside of the pool, the money brought in by the SWOCC benefits a scholarship fund maintained by the Southwest Ohio Swimming Officials Association. The SWOSOA will off six $750 scholarships to three senior boys and three senior girls.

Despite no local teams scoring points, a handful of swimmers and divers competed in event finals.

Teams will have three full weeks of preparation and season-ending conference tournaments before they come together once again to compete for the honor of advancing upstate.

Amelia, Glen Este and Milford will compete in the Division I sectionals at Mason High School the week of Feb. 9. New Richmond and Bethel-Tate will also compete in the Mason sectional, racing and diving in Division II.

For more information about the SWOCC, log on to swimmeet.com/meets/classic15.

To learn more about the postseason meets, navigate to swdab.org.