With temperatures soaring and the school year coming to a close, the Troy Tiger Sharks have jumped in the pool at the Troy Recreation Center.

The team’s roster includes 50 swimmers, which more doubles last year’s squad.

“This is the biggest group we have had as long as I have been doing it,” said swim coach Nicklaus Chrysson. “It’s definitely growing. We have a lot of younger kids this year, and hopefully that will ensure that the program continues for years to come.”

The majority of the Tiger Shark swimmers will be jumping into the pool with little to no experience, and swimmers will compete in three age divisions:  8 and under, 9 to 13 and 14 to 18.

“It will definitely be a challenge because we will have to start with the basics with the younger ones,” Chrysson said. “As the years progress, they will get better and better. They seem to get out of the pool and say that they have a good time.”

The Tiger Sharks will compete in five regular season meets before the district meet July 15 in Dothan. In order to qualify for Dothan each swimmer will have to meet a certain time in the pool.

“In every other sport, your team is everything,” Chrysson said. “In swimming your team is you. You are working on beating your individual time. Every year we go off our time from the previous year and try to improve it.”

Troy will host two meets, with the first on June 6. For many Tiger Sharks, it will be their first competition.

“They’re going to experience competition, maybe for the first time,” Chrysson said. “They will experience good times and heartbreak when they don’t finish where they think they should. They will also have their teammates swimming beside them and that will be fun.”