CANTON — The Canton Golden Bears girls swim team is entering its second season without a home pool and a practice schedule cluttered with various sites just to get ready for the upcoming year.

Their home pool is being renovated and retiled and will be one of the best in Section 10. The process has been long, but it's supposed to be finished by mid-October, according to Canton coach Meg McGovern.

In the meantime, as it was last year, the team has had to bounce around times and schedules to find places to practice. This year it's been at Edwards-Knox, SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University.

"I think last year it was more frustrating," McGovern said. "This year is working much easier. The kids are certainly adapting to the pools we are in."

McGovern lost some swimmers from last year due to the changing practice times and travel required just to compete for the team. Senior Kayla Gerlach and junior Hailey Hodge stuck with the program. Swimming is their only varsity sport.

Gerlach and Hodge enjoy going to the different facilities and spending time together as a team. They feel the challenges they've faced have only made the team stronger.

"We can swim anywhere," said Gerlach. "For me, you get the bonding experience. On the bus rides there we get to spend time talking instead of being in the pool. The team gets to know each other faster."

Hodge echoed those sentiments, but also views the time in other pools as a way to prepare for future meets.

"I get to know how many pull into the wall (at each pool)," she said. "It's kind of nice to get used to each surroundings."

She especially likes to work at SUNY Potsdam, where the Section 10 championships are held.

"The water is really hot at Potsdam," said Hodge. "It's good to get used to the pool you will swim in later."

McGovern keeps her attitude positive, as well, and doesn't think working without a home pool is necessarily a disadvantage.

"(The girls) are used to swimming in other pools," she said. "I think they'll be able to hop into any pool and swim well."

Gerlach, however, does want one new experience this year: being the first senior to jump into the new Canton pool.

"Being a senior, it's a little hard," she said. "You want to swim one in our own pool."

Gerlach hardly swam in any pool last year due to a sciatic nerve virus that prohibited her from competition. The injury could have ended her career.

"It shot numbing pain down my leg. It was hard to finish a race," she said. "I had physical therapy and took medicine and stretched a lot. Now I'm about 95 percent better. I definitely still feeling it sometimes."

She wasn't the only swimmer plagued with illness or injury last year. Hodge fell ill with mononucleosis. Both are back in the pool this year, though, and McGovern thinks they'll be highly competitive in each meet.

"Both are healthy and feeling great," said McGovern. "They're right where they ended off at good times last year. I expect good things from them."

NAC GIRLS SWIMMING

Outlook:Canton is looking to improve on a 7-5 mark a year ago with the return of two swimmers who were injured and ill last year. Senior Kayla Gerlach missed most of last year with a hip injury, while Hailey Hodge battled mononucleosis. Both are healthy and ready to lead Canton into the Section 10 championship. St. Lawrence is the toughest competition in Division I. St. Lawrence Central returns six seniors from last year's 12-0 regular-season team. The Larries will be front-runners heading into the season. In Division II, Massena also looks strong, returning five seniors and two juniors to a stacked roster. Massena will vie for the sectional title at the end of the season.

DIVISION I

Canton Golden Bears

Coach:Meg McGovern (22nd year).

2007 record:7-5 overall.

Roster:Katie Basham (Sr.); Kayla Gerlach (Sr.); Caitlin Goolden (Sr.); Maleena Gregori (Sr.); Erica Waters (Sr.); Chelsea Beecher (Jr.); Brooke Knight (Jr.); Taylor McAdoo (Jr.); Shelby Dumas (Jr.); Kaitlin Flint (Jr.); Hailey Hodge (Jr.); Brooke McAllister (Jr.); Bridget Wight (Jr.); Brittany Camp (So.); Paige Chase (So.); Katie Dawley (So.); Kaitlin Lawrence (So.); Mary Logan (So.); Emily Parker (So.); Shelley Peria (So.); Bailey Phelps (So.); Briana Sibbits (So.); Kelly Conant (Fr.); Megan Dent (Fr.); Taylor Frank (Fr.); Madalyn Griffin (Fr.); Courtney McGregor (Fr.).

Malone Huskies

Coach:Terry Miles (4th year).

2007 record:6-6.

Roster:Not provided.

Ogdensburg Free

Academy Blue Devils

Coach:Ben Fleahman (4th year).

2007 record:9-3.

Roster:Alexandra Barr (Fr.); Kelli Barr (Sr.); Kylie Barr (Sr.); Paige Bleau (Sr.); Kori Bresett (Fr.); Gia Clark (Fr.); Erin Corbine (Jr.); Molly Coryer (Sr.); Emily Cunningham (Fr.); Lindsay Drummond (So.); Mackenzie Ferguson (Jr.); Megan Grady (Fr.); Rosie Giglio (So.); Katie Heiss (Sr.); Ellie Holmes (Jr.); Dylan Jarrett (So.); Kyrie Mitchell (Fr.); Morgan Murray (So.); Jenna Palmer (Fr.); Brittany Tayler (Jr.); Sonya Thomas (Sr.); Amanda Woods (Sr.).

Potsdam Sandstoners

Coach:Andy Devins (2nd year).

2007 record:6-6.

Roster:Abbie Adams (So.); Chelsie Baxter (Jr.); Allyssa Chambers (So.); Shanielle Chambers (8th); Brittany Charleston (Fr.); Jessica Charleston (Jr.); Leslie Clemons (Jr.); Shea Conley (Fr.); Serenity Davis (Sr.); Katie Fetcie (Jr.); Mallory Fisher (Fr.); Natassia Fodor (So.): Danielle Foisy (Jr.); Sabrina French (Fr.); MaKenzy Grant (Fr.); Grace Hobbs (Sr.); M.C. Jadlos (Sr.); Courtney Kilgore (Jr.); Alicia LaMora (Fr.); Gwenn Lillie (Sr.); Kayla Maroney (Jr.); Elinor Pacific (Fr.); Chelsea Palmer (So.); Kelsey Rimmer (Sr.); Sarah Roll (Fr.); Abby Scott (So.); Chelsea Sharrow (Fr.); Danielle Sinnigen (Fr.).

St. Lawrence Larries

Coach:Katy Brown (2nd year).

2007 record:12-0.

Roster:Lauren Brand (Sr.); Erin Devine (Sr.); LeAnn Hulse (Sr.); Jocelyn Lavigne (Sr.); Emilie Norton (Sr.); Stephanie White (Sr.); Janice Brothers (Jr.); Cheyenne Cole (Jr.); Janae McAllister (Jr.); Molly McCuin (Jr.); Anna Brothers (So.); Brianna Huff (So.); Jenna Evans (So.); Karli Olsen (So.); Ashley Pike (So.); Miranda Dodge (Fr.); Shelby Hollenbeck (Fr.); Chelsea LaFave (Fr.); Alecia Lynch (Fr.); Angellina Sebring (Fr.); Elaina Vallance (Fr.).

DIVISION II

Edwards-Knox Cougars

Coach:Lisa Lane (1st year).

2007 record:0-11.

Roster:Marissa Bacon (Sr.); Emily Chambers (Sr.); Rachel Chambers (So.); Ashley Chapin (Jr.); Amelia Colton (Jr.); Chelsea Cutway (Jr.); Krystina DeVito (Sr.); Bryana Kiggins (Sr.); Della Rubin (So.); Sam Wentzel (Sr.).

Gouverneur Wildcats

Coach:Cindy Hance (21st year).

2007 record:2-7-1.

Roster:Not provided.

Massena Red Raiders

Coach:Gay Rawlins (24th year).

2007 record:6-5.

Roster:Corisa Agans (So.); Kati Bronchetti (Fr.); Telewentathe Burns (So.); Nikki Carroll (Fr.); Aubrey Czajkowski (Jr.); Kelsey Delosh (Sr., C); Samantha Delosh (Sr., C); Ashley Devine (Jr.); Kayla Devine (Fr.); Kallee Fregoe (So.); Mary-Claire Gabri (So.); Nikita Gupta (Jr.); Lindsey Haggett (Sr., C); Katelyn Hans (Sr.); Wendy Herne (Fr.); Allison Holliday (So.); Gabrielle LaShomb (Sr.); Melissa Marlowe (Fr.); Emily Marshall (Sr.); Nicole Orlando (Fr.); Chelcie Pellegrino (So.); Alexandra Pesold (So.); Presley Ransom (Jr.); Alana Rogers (Fr.); Julie Welch (Fr.); Brittany Wells (Fr.); Emily Wilkins (Sr.); Amanda Young (Fr.).

Salmon River Shamrocks

Coach:Joshua Jock (1st year).

2007 record:2-7-1.

Roster:Kayla Bellin, Leah Bigness, Brittany Bradley, Errolynn Brill, Keira Delormier, Sierra Feiman, Brittany Francis, Erica Jacobs, Sydney Jock, Kaylee Lauzon, Rosemarie LeMay, Raven Mainville, Korinn McCabe, Krista Morrow, Elizabeth Newman, Rebecca Shook, Alexii Captains.