Greater Pittsburgh Aquatic Club growing in numbers, enthusiasm

When Becca Rice was introduced to the Greater Pittsburgh Aquatic Club, she had no interest in putting her coaching hat on. But after the head coaching position was offered, Rice couldn’t resist the itch.

When Rice took over a few years ago, the GPAC had around 30 kids involved in the program. After getting the word out via social media and word of mouth, Rice has 43 swimmers that range from 6 to 18 years old in the program.

“I’m not sure a lot of people knew we had a competitive swim team in Penn Hills. It has been growing a lot by word of mouth,” Rice said. “It’s growing because you can see it through the improvements the kids are doing. When you see with your eyes that kids are improving, you want to be part of that program”

The club practices at the Olympic Swim & Health Club. In an effort to generate more interest in swimming, the club has been offering lessons hosted by instructors that were WPIAL qualifiers.

Rice is offering eight lessons for $100 where the students will progress through a multi-level lesson plan, with the hopes the swimmer would join the club team.

Due to the pandemic, the lessons are offered based on pool availability as they follow safety restrictions.

After being a WPIAL qualifier at Gateway and swimming at Slippery Rock, Rice got her coaching career kicked off by joining the Monroeville Marlins coaching staff. Rice cites Charles Lersch and Hosea Holder for providing a major influence during her decade-long coaching career.

“I think my vision for the program is developing kids that are strong in the water but mentally strong outside of the water. Swimming is not only a physical sport but is a mental sport as well,” Rice said. “I’d like to instill in them life skills, but that’s something that every athlete needs anyway. I don’t compare the club to any other clubs. If we get last place but we get best times and we’re cheering for one another, then that’s what I like.”

When the shutdown started earlier this year, Rice made sure the swimmers didn’t lose out on an opportunity to improve themselves even if the pool wasn’t open. Rice organized Zoom meetings and sent weekly dryland exercises for the swimmers to perform so everyone was doing the same thing even if they weren’t physically together.

For instance, on every Monday and Wednesday, the swimmers did calisthenics and ab workouts, while on every Tuesday and Thursday, they did body weight and ab workouts.

Once the pool reopened, Rice had to change some of the workouts in the pool to comply with social distancing requirements, such as dividing the team in smaller groups, wearing masks on the deck and having one way onto the deck and one way off the deck.

When the team started a workout in the pool, Rice made sure the kids started on opposite ends of the pool.

“I know the athletes missed one another,” Rice said. “Their attitudes are a lot better. They are more positive. They are working harder than ever.”

The Club is home to Woodland Hills sophomore Rosalie Van Deusen, who finished seventh in the 200-yard IM at the WPIAL Class AAA championships in February.

Emily Ruperto (12 years old) and Samantha Schork (11) each qualified for the Christmas Meet at Pitt last season.

Willie Rice III (7) was named Allegheny Mountain Swimmer of the WHAT meet in January. Rice is looking forward to the continued development of Jack Davidson, who swam well as a 7-year old last season.

“I was a swim mom with two younger kids and I was offered the head coach and went back to my old ways,” Rice said. “We are on the way of developing strong swimmers and a strong program.”