By Ryan Menzie
For The Signal
A group of about 800 young swimmers is preparing to compete in the four-day Futures Championships hosted by the Canyons Aquatic Club, at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, starting today.
The events will take place all day starting with preliminaries at 9 a.m. and the fastest times competing in the finals starting at 5 p.m.
“It’s special because I can bring this event to the community and show the city of Santa Clarita what top-notch swimmers are all about,” said Sean Kakamu, general manager for Canyons Aquatic Club and College of the Canyons swimming head coach. “This is one of the biggest swimming events, and we’re going to have some Olympic qualifiers. We are probably going to have some of the fastest swimmers we’ve ever had here.”
The club has been around since 1978, and has been training the young athletes in their aspirations to one day become Olympic swimmers. The event allows athletes to build up their success and for quality coaches to come together and build partnerships in hopes of continually expanding the club.
For 2021, USA Swimming recognized Canyons Aquatic Club as a Bronze Level club through its Club Excellence program — one of three clubs in Los Angeles County to earn such a distinction. Top Canyons swimmers such as Olympic Trials Qualifier and Valencia High School swimmer Isabella Adame and future UC Santa Barbara and Hart High School swimmer Kyle Brill helped bring this award to Canyons, according to club officials.
Kakamu looks forward every year to seeing some of the fastest swimmers from across the United States.
