Nowhere to call home
Moniteau swimmers have felt like vagabonds the last few years, but they were willing to wear that label as long as the next competition was around the corner.
Because Moniteau has no organized swim team, swimmers from the school must constantly hit the road, swimming when other schools accept them as independent competitors.
That has become a problem this season with restrictions on the number of people allowed at indoor venues such as high school natatoriums.
Swimmers representing Moniteau this season include seniors Baily Trettel and Sydney Reott and sophomore Katelyn Reott.
“It's hard finding a team that can allow me to swim with them,” said Trettel, who recently signed to swim at St. Francis (Pa.) University. “Last year, I was worried about being recruited, but now that's over with and I feel no pressure. I just want to swim as fast as I can this season and have fun with it.”
Trettel is waiting for the opportunity to do that. In the past, she has competed at meets held at Butler High School and Deer Lakes High School. Neither venue is currently available to her.
The Reott sisters previously competed at Slippery Rock High home meets, held at Slippery Rock University. That venue is not available through the winter due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.
High school swim meets are allowed to resume Friday.
“John Stoughton (Moniteau's athletic director) has been very helpful,” said Amy Trettel, Baily's mother and coach. “With swimming not being a school-sponsored sport at Moniteau, he doesn't have to be involved.”
Stoughton said he has contacted between 10-12 schools in districts 10, 9 and 7, to inquire about open spots for Moniteau's swimmers, with no luck thus far.
“Schools have to accommodate their own kids first,” he said. “Some schools don't own the pools they swim at and are unsure how many people are being allowed there.”
As Amy Trettel pointed out, another factor that could limit swimming opportunities for Moniteau's swimmers is schools that have pools are now running on a condensed schedule.
All three swimmers are doing what they can to prepare themselves if and when they are allowed to compete.
Baily Trettel recently resumed her practice and training schedule — 2½ hours, six days every week with her club team at Valley High School.
“Katelyn is a member of the Butler (YMCA) and has been practicing there with the Barracudas,” said Debbie Reott, Katelyn and Sydney's mother and coach. “But Sydney does not swim club, so she's out in the cold.”
“I've been getting workouts in on the treadmill and bike, but nothing in the water,” said Sydney, a senior who swims the 50- and 100-yard freestyles. “It's frustrating not knowing what's going to happen, if I will be competing or not.”
Katelyn said the practices are helping her stay in shape, but she still needs to compete.
“I want to go up against other teams, other swimmers,” she said. “That's how you get better.”
Trettel and the Reotts each competed at the District 9 championship meet last year at Saint Marys High School. To get back to that event this winter, they all need to swim at least once in their chosen events during the regular season, which would give them a seed time entering districts.
Trettel is the two-time defending District 9 champion in the butterfly and backstroke. As a freshman last year, Katelyn Reott won both the 50 freestyle and breaststroke.
Amy Trettel believes it's just a matter of time before Moniteau's trio hits the water for real, even if it comes in three separate meets.
“I believe somebody, some school is going to get back to us and let us compete,” she added. “All schools were playing the waiting game, seeing if sports were going to resume. I think they want to get a couple of meets under their belts, see how things go before they let a swimmer in from another school.”
In the meantime, Stoughton will continue his search, saying: “I'll gladly do whatever I can to help these girls out.”
