Area swimmers to converge on Wapakoneta

VW independent sports/submitted information

WAPAKONETA — More than 500 swimmers and their families will descend on the Wapakoneta Community Swimming Pool Friday and Saturday, July 8-9, for the 40th annual Elks Invitational Swim Meet and Western Ohio Aquatics League (WOAL) League Championship. The WOAL is for swimmers aged 4-18 who are members of one of the league’s teams.

Eight teams will compete for the 2022 league title: Ada, Bluffton, Findlay, Kenton, Shawnee Country Club, Wapakoneta, Westside and Van Wert. Each year the championships rotate between Bluffton, Kenton and Wapakoneta pools.

Events will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and will conclude around 2 p.m. Day No. 2 will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday and will conclude around 3 p.m. The league champs will be crowned at the end of Saturday’s session. On Saturday, one female and one male WOAL swimmer will be awarded the Beverly R. Little Memorial Scholarship in recognition of their gifts to the WOAL Swim League.

The WOAL could not operate a champs meet without the generosity of local company and individual sponsors – Lima Elks No. 54 (event winners), Destin Logistics, JTB Tech, Kelly’s Poco Loco, Orthopedic Institute of Ohio, Precision Strip, Diamond M, NWO Orthopedics, Quest FCU, Skinny’s Tavern, Roger’s Agency, Women’s Health for Life, YMCA Van Wert, YWCA Van Wert, Wintzer, D’signs by Day, Epperly family, Wireman, GROB, Harrison Insurance, Midwest Electric, Wapak Athletic Club, 500 Section Lounge, and the Lake of Lights.