Skip to content

Hack rules at pool during provincials

Regardless of what’s going on in the pools of southern Saskatchewan, chances are very good that Taeghen Hack is going to win at it.
Taeghan Hack

Regardless of what’s going on in the pools of southern Saskatchewan, chances are very good that Taeghen Hack is going to win at it.

Hack, 16, won a whopping seven gold medals last weekend at Swim Saskatchewan’s provincials at the RM of Estevan Aquatic Centre, five individual and two relay, and will spend the next few weeks getting ready for the water polo season.

“It was pretty awesome,” said Hack of her experience at provincials this year. “It felt like Sask Summer games was happening all over again because it was in my hometown and won everything in front of the home crowd. That was really awesome.”

Hack won gold in the individual 200 free, 50 fly, 100 free, 100 fly and 200 IM, and also won gold as part of two southeast relay teams.

“I don’t get to see these friends for 10 months like I do with water polo,” she said. “I only see them for two or three months at a time so I really cherish those memories and just the fact that I won gold all year. That was one thing I wanted to have and I finally got it.”

Hack will be doing a month off, just doing water training and heads back in a month.

Training away from the team during the swim season, Hack has basically been her own coach through this season.

“I train by myself so I picked up certain ways to make my swim sets, and with water polo we swim on Wednesdays,” she said. “I didn’t have anyone to push me or show me what to do.”

She won’t go into the weight room during speed swimming season, but will be resuming that this month The skills needed for speed swimming and water polo aren’t necessarily as transferable as one might assume.

“Water polo and speed swimming are pretty different stroke wise,” Hack said. “For speed swimming you have to have a different stroke but it does help to be pretty quick,” she said. “What I would probably want to work on is making the national team this year for water polo. So continuing my training throughout the summer is helping me.”

Trying to get to the national team, Hack is happy with the way she’s able to be quick.

“I’m happy that I’m a fast swimmer and that I have a decent technique,” she said.

Hack is going into Grade 11  and is already starting to look at continuing her water polo through university in the United States.

“I want to join the NCAA and play water polo for university,” she said. “