INDIANAPOLIS — Gus Upchurch had been to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Indianapolis Colts play.
He had never gone there to compete, let alone as a swimmer.
A sectional champion and state qualifying swimmer for Eastern Hancock High School, Upchurch was among the select few of Indiana swimmers that got to be a part of the trial run before the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium, that began June 15 and will end Sunday.
For the first time ever, the event was staged on a football field, hosting the biggest crowds ever to see a swim meet.
Greenfield-Central girls swimming head coach Emily Logan had four of her swimmers take part in what was called, The Stadium Splash.
“They have to test it out before they have the trials. You don’t want an ‘Oops!’ Logan, who is volunteering at the event, said.
In club swimming there are different levels of time standards as swimmers try to move their way up the competitive ladder.
There are Divisionals, Age Group State, Senior State, Speedo Sectional, and Futures before you get to Junior Nationals and Nationals — for those competing for spots on the Olympic team.
Around 400 athletes from Indiana participated. Swimmers had to have a Futures time to qualify, but when that didn’t fill all the openings those with Speedo Sectional times were also invited.
The Splash mirrored the Olympic trials, including waiting areas, walk-ins to the pool, and all that goes into swimming for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
“It was unbelievable,” Upchurch said. “I’d seen pictures prior to going to it, but it was so much different seeing it for myself. It was honestly breathtaking, I don’t know how they did it, but it was so cool, amazing.”
The IU Natatorium had held Olympic Trials in the past. It’s a world-class pool, but the seating capacity is no longer big enough for the event. With building the pool inside the home of the Indianapolis Colts, the event is setting attendance records night after night. On Wednesday, a record 22,209 fans were in attendance to watch Americans punch their ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Greenfield-Central had four girls compete in The Stadium Splash, Alyssa Osborn, Rachel Stutz, Taylor Parsons and Sonja Jahrdoerfer. Osborn and Stutz competed in three events each. All were part of the Cougars sectional championship team, as well as qualifiers for the state meet. Upchurch competed in two events.
None of the local swimmers qualified for the Splash finals, but that didn’t take away from the experience of a lifetime.
“We walked in a day before the meet to do a little practice at the pool,” Osborn, who had never been to Lucas Oil Stadium, said. “Everyone was in shock, we were in awe. I think everyone said ‘Oh, My Gosh!’
“I didn’t realize it was that big,” she added. “We had to walk around to the locker rooms and it felt like a mile hike. It makes you feel good about all the training you’ve put into swimming. It takes a lot to get to that point. Knowing you can go to a big meet like this, knowing Olympic swimmers are going to be swimming in that pool too, it makes you feel like all the training and hard work was truly worth it.”
The Splash was held June 7-8.
“It’s just such a cool experience because they got to go down for an open practice in the Olympic Trials pool,” Logan said. “All the Indiana kids were the first ones in the pool to test it out and it’s such an amazing set up down there. It’s amazing what they’ve done and created (in the stadium).
“The kids had the big eyes checking it all out. It was a neat experience for our kids to be able do that and be a part of it, getting to swim at a special location and keep their dreams going of, ‘Can I make it to this level? Yes, you can.’ This gave them an idea what that would be like.”
Upchurch said he had heard they were going to turn the football field into a swimming pool, but admitted he was going to have to see it to believe it.
“I probably heard (about Lucas Oil Stadium hosting the trials) sometime last year,” he said. “I was thinking, ‘No way! How are they going to do that?” I wasn’t familiar with the process of people building pools for a meet like this. I was thinking no way, they are not going to be able to do it.”
But they did do it and he was right there on the starting block to help get the event going.
“The whole process of going up before my event, the ready-rooms, it was all a much different process than anything I’ve ever experienced before,” Upchurch added. “It definitely was a lot different and a lot more special. I felt like an Olympian — I’m sure for the trials there will be more people and a louder atmosphere — but it was still so cool walking out to the area where the Olympians will be walking out of.”
Both Osborn and Upchurch said they had planned on returning to the stadium to watch some of the trials.
Logan wasn’t the only area coach helping out during the event. She was joined by her daughter and assistant coach Carley Logan, New Palestine head coach Chris Kingery and assistant coach Anna Doolin along with Mt. Vernon head coach Brad Grieshop.
A lot of parents involved with the high school swim programs helped out, too.
It was a thrill for all of them.
“I’ve been watching Olympic swimming for a few years, actually walking in and seeing how the pool would look for such a huge meet that I am definitely not qualified for — I just got super-excited,” Upchurch said. “I’ve always wanted to swim in a pool that Olympians are going to swim in.
“With all the lights shining, it didn’t seem real at first. I was at a loss for words or what to even think, it was a dream come true.”
