CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Children in the area are diving into a new sport, swimming.

The local ACAC is working on gaining more athletes to compete on its year-round swim team, USA Swim team and on the summer league swim team.

“With being a sport like swimming, it starts out as an individual sport, and then you’re competing and practicing in a group, and you’re growing as well and competing and going to meets as a team,” said Jeremy Edwards, ACAC Swim Team Director. 

This small but mighty team of ten is already bringing in trophies. It just returned from the Virginia State Competition and won first place in the small team division.

But trophies are not the goal of this team. The ACAC wants to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where swimmers can have fun, reach their full potential, and develop a lifelong love of the sport.

“It’s a lot of just team growth, and just that maturity part of growing and understanding it’s not just about me, but we’re competing together as a team and doing something special all together,” added Edwards. 

And that message of growth and maturity is already paying off for these young athletes.

“What really helps is having a good team, having a good culture, and having a good bond with your coaches, and that’s really why I’m here today,” said Katie Shaps, a swimmer on the ACAC team.

This team at the ACAC is aiming to have these athletes set personal goals, make new friends, and make every moment in the pool an unforgettable experience.

“We’ve learned how to have fun and be mentally stronger,” added Sophie Bayno, a swimmer on the ACAC team.

For more information on joining their teams, click here.