news-record.com

Really good response to last week's article on the Smith swim team. This one came in last night:

Mr. Keller,

I read your article on Smith and the Magnificient Seven. It warmed my heart. My daughter was a 2004 graduate of Smith and a 2008 graduate of UNC, so I know good kids can come out of there. The insight I got from reading your article makes me know there are more kids there that will have bright futures. They are not concerned about participating in sport that is not as popular as basketball or football. It's ironic that Smith has a pool and some many kids at Smith do not know how to swim. I hope that the article encourages others to learn to swim and maybe join the swim team. I just appreciate you bringing to light a positive situation at our Smith because so many times that is not the story we see.

Thanks again and I look forward to your exposure of more sports events that shine a positive light on our schools.

L.Michele Smith

Many thanks to all of you who wrote in. The News & Record has explored the lack of minorities in swimming before, and there's no easy answer for how to get more involved. Not everybody can be like Smith assistant coach Spencer Abraham, who said the community pool "was like a day care" growing up for him and his two older brothers, who made the most of their physical advantage over him. "You had to learn how to swim," Abraham said, "or they might drown you."