With an expected attendance of more than 2,500 people, the Western Ohio Aquatics League (WOAL) swim championships will return to the Village of Bluffton July 8-9. Bluffton is the host site for the WOAL every three years.

“We are excited to be the host pool for the 2016 WOAL swim champs,” said Jennie Wilson, president of the Bluffton swim team. “The WOAL summer swim program has more than 600 swimmers across eight teams, and with these swimmers come families, friends and grandparents.

"The Village of Bluffton will have a great opportunity to host these guests and show off what our Village has to offer with great food, shopping and hospitality.”

Swimming is increasing in popularity with the current youth generation. The Bluffton team has grown from approximately 90 swimmers in 2013 to 140 swimmers this season. Other teams in the WOAL are Ada, Kenton, Shawnee, Sherwood, Van Wert, Wapakoneta and West Side Swim Club.

“The Bluffton Sardines are now one of the largest teams in the WOAL. It is such a great legacy for many of us who were Sardines when we were young,” said Wilson.

This season more than 14 families have legacy swimmers, carrying on the family tradition of being a Sardine.

The Sardines have been a team since 1974. The 2016 coaching staff includes head coach is Bob Verb and assistant coaches are Kyla Dawson, April Dorman and Delaney Reineke.

The WOAL swim champs is free and open to the public. Events will start at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday, with a parade around the pool being the first event of the day on Friday. Friday the meet will start with Event 1 being the short freestyle events and ends with Event 39 which are the medley relays.

Saturdays events start with backstroke (Event 39) and ending with the freestyle relays (Event 78). A special memorial relay completes Saturday’s events after all of the awards are handed out, honoring loved ones that have died in the past year  In the event of bad weather, events may be held on Sunday, July 10.