Not the Olympics just yet, but swimming memories these Triangle youth will cherish

With the Summer Olympics starting this weekend in Paris, eyes will be on the world’s best swimmers and on a sport that flourishes each summer in pools around the world.

For many youth in the Triangle area, summer means swim teams and meets nearly every week. It’s an inclusive environment where kids can hone their skills and socialize in a setting that is both competitive and enjoyable.

Fiona Johnson, a junior coach at Cary Swim Club, is in her second summer with the swim team, having joined after moving to the neighborhood a couple years ago. She said swimming was instrumental in making friends in the area.

She praised the community for being “kind and accepting.”

N&O journalists Kaitlin McKeown, Heather Diehl and Shelby Swanson spent time with the Cary team and others this summer to offer an Inside Look at the moments these young people will treasure, whether they go on to Olympic glory one day or not.