All wet and smiling
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Ryan Roglin, 14, propels himself down a lane in the pool Friday at Peak Fitness while being coached by his sister Gabby, 17, during a Coeur d'Alene Special Olympic team training session.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Darlene Pennestri smiled with pride as she watched Crystal Teeters practicing the breaststroke Friday.
The Special Olympian was chopping her way through the water toward the far end of the pool at Peak Health and Wellness Center. She wasn't fast or graceful, but she was determined. Absolutely determined.
"She's catching on," said Pennestri, an assistant coach. "She's trying really hard."
Once Teeters touched the end, she turned around and began the 16-meter swim back. She was a little tired now, a little winded, but she splashed on. Never once did she stop. And as she neared the finish of the drill, as coaches and parents clapped and cheered, a huge smile crossed her face.
"Good job, all of you. Very good job," shouted head coach Carol Peck, who will be leading this Coeur d'Alene-area swim team of Special Olympics to the summer competition in Boise in June.
About 10 athletes and their coaches practiced two hours Friday at the health center on Ironwood Drive.
Peck said when the community swimming pool in Post Falls
closed four years ago, it pulled the plug on the local Special Olympics swim program.
Seeking to resurface it this year, Peck called around to different clubs with pools to see who would allow the special swimmers to practice there.
Peak said yes, and donated the time in the four-lane pool to Peck and her athletes.
"If it wasn't for Peak, we would not have a swim team," she said. "Being able to swim here is the best thing ever. This is a big thing because they want their gold medals. You get a gold medal, you get any kind of medal, these kids just go crazy. They wear their medals for weeks."
"But if it wasn't for Peak, we wouldn't have this program," Peck continued.
Karen Johnson, director of swim lessons at Peak, said they were happy to help the athletes prepare for their summer games.
"We're excited to have them come here," she said.
The Special Olympians have been practicing Fridays for about a month.
Peck will be taking seven swimmers to Boise to participate in events including freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, relays, assisted swimming and walking in the pool
"They love it. They're jazzed. They're ready to go," she said.
Special Olympian Mark Pennestri appreciated being able to practice at Peak and believes he's getting stronger.
The 37-year-old loves to give out high fives and is looking forward to competing in the summer games, especially in freestyle.
"I like it," said Pennestri, who will anchor the relay teams.
A Special Olympics swim meet is scheduled Saturday at Peak, with teams expected from Moscow and Lewiston. Peak is also donating pool time for the meet.
Peck said having the swim team back in action is a huge boost for the athletes like Pennestri, Teeters and her daughter, Nikki Cotter, who has been learning the backstroke.
"She could not do the backstroke when we started four weeks ago," Peck said.
Friday, the normally shy Cotter was not only gliding back and forth on the water, she was laughing and joking with her teammates, and even offering advice so they could learn the backstroke, too.
"She just lights up when it's time for swimming," Peck said with a laugh. "She's ready a half hour before we have to go."
Her daughter, Peck said, has even joined Peak so she can get some extra pool practice.
"She wants to be as good as Mark," Peck said.
Peak donates pool time, allowing Cd'A Special Olympics swim team to train for summer games