The Jordan swim team may not have the numbers that other schools have, but that won’t stop the Beetdiggers from competing. Jordan returns four swimmers who placed at state a year ago and others who hope to qualify for the big event in February. 

The Beetdiggers enter the season with 14 swimmers—seven on the boys team and seven on the girls team. Jordan is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Class 4A state meet on the boys’ side a season ago. Jordan has to replace standout swimmer Robert Barton, who graduated last school year. Barton was the 4A winner in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 butterfly. He was also on the Beetdiggers’ state-winning 200 medley relay team. 

Despite having a small team, head coach Richard Barnes has some talented swimmers at his disposal. 

Back this season is Tyson Hirschi, a junior who participated in the state meet last season. He was part of the team’s 200 freestyle relay group that placed third and the 400 freestyle relay team that placed 12th. Sophomore Thomas Griffith is another swimmer to keep an eye on for Jordan. He qualified for state last season as a freshman, swimming the 100 backstroke. Hirschi is a team captain along with sophomore Jack Nigbur. 

As for the girls team, seniors Samantha Callahan and Niya Glover qualified for state last season. Callahan raced in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly a season ago. Glover was in the 500 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke last season. Both swimmers are team captains in 2024-25. 

Barnes is confident that these four will each reach the state meet once again. He said a few others may record fast enough times to join Hirschi, Griffith, Callahan and Glover at state this February. 

“We want to have as many as possible qualify for state,” he said. “We want to qualify our relay teams. We want our kids to swim their fastest times at [region and state] championship meets.”

Barnes loves his team’s effort and enjoys seeing the swimmers get better and faster. The Beetdiggers faces challenges because they don’t have the numbers that other teams boast. 

“We have competed with bigger teams,” he said. “it’s difficult because we don’t have the depth.”

Barnes said Jordan comprises three types of swimmers: athletes who have been swimming for years, are fast and do well in competition; mid-tier swimmers who have been swimming competitively for a year or two; and brand-new swimmers. With all types of swimmers, Barnes loves seeing the boys and girls develop and record personal best times. “One of the most rewarding parts of coaching is seeing the swimmers get faster and faster,” he said. “We’re focusing on individual improvement and stroke technique. We’re helping kids improve.”

Swimming is a unique sport because it’s individual, but each individual swimmer’s times contribute to the team’s total. Jordan might have some swimmers place first, but the Beetdiggers don’t have the numbers to then have swimmers finish second, third and fourth to add points. Still, Barnes loves see newcomers learn and grow, and he enjoys watching his more experienced swimmers continue to excel. Jordan even gets athletes from other sports to join the squad. 

To qualify for state, swimmers have to be among the top-32 finishers in any given event. Swimmers can only participate in two individual events at the state meet. The swimmers’ times are recorded throughout the season from every meet, making every meet critical. 

The Class 4A state swim meet will take place Feb. 7 and 8, 2025, at Brigham Young University.