NORTH POLE, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks swim team found themselves on a bye week for the second weekend in a row. After opening the 2019-20 season against San Diego State on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, the swim team won't be matched up with an opponent again until Oct. 18-19 when they host Azusa Pacific and open their PCSC season. What does head coach Rebecca Weiland have the 'Nooks do in their spare time? They give back.
The afternoon of Oct. 10 saw the Nanooks pile into two athletic department vans and take a half hour trip southeast to the town of North Pole. There they read to Mrs. Barker's kindergarten class, bringing smiles to all the children's faces. Before any stories were read, however, the class had a surprise song ready for sophomore,
Kaia Norbye and her birthday.
Coach Weiland has been a firm believer of connecting with the surrounding communities since her days as a student-athlete, "We are so happy to get out in the community and serve our youth. Today was a great day out at North Pole Elementary School, being able to read books to the kindergartners. We want to be the best role models that we can be for the youth of the interior!"
After the students calmed down, each swimmer found their own place to sit down as the kindergartners rushed around grabbing their book box. In each box was about five stories for the swimmer to pick from. Mrs. Barker, the teacher of the North Pole kindergartners had this to say about the Nanooks visit to the classroom, "We appreciated the UAF swim team coming to read with the students today. The students also loved spending time with these terrific ladies and being read to. Reading is such an important skill and we hope having a buddy reading to them will instill a love of reading and learning. It is a wonderful way for the team to give back to the community."
This is not the only way the Nanooks swim team has given back to the community.
Each home meet has held a new source of donation. The first meet of the season, the Blue vs. Gold Pentathlon, the 'Nooks took donations that went towards the Interior Center for Non-Violent Living and the second meet, the first official meet, against SDSU, the admission donations went towards The Fairbanks Rescue Mission. Alongside the Mission money donations, the swim team accepted certain toiletries as donations.
As for future plans, the Nanooks swim team will be back in volunteer-mode on Saturday, Oct. 12 as they will be working at the aid station for the HooDoo Half Marathon in Fairbanks, and they will be serving Thanksgiving meals at the Fairbanks Rescue Mission in November.
The swim schedule will return to action on Oct. 18 at the Patty Center Swimming Pool against Azusa Pacific. Until then, be on the lookout for Alaska volunteers around town.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks swim team, follow @NanooksSwim on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Swim team page on Facebook.
