Strong contingent on FD swim team
Humboldt students who are members of the Fort Dodge High girls’ swim team this fall, front row (l-r): Embree Meyer, Norah Fisburn (from Clarion, is member of Humboldt’s summer team) and Adelyn Meyer. Back row: Ellen Townsend, Morgan Townsend, Danica Diedrick and Amelia Winter. Submitted photo.
Addie Meyer and Morgan Townsend, a pair of juniors from Humboldt, are starting their third seasons on the Fort Dodge High girls’ swim team.
This year on their daily commute to Fort Dodge, they will be accompanied by five more teammates. They’ll be joined by senior Danica Diedrick, ninth graders Amelia Winter and Nora Fisburn and eighth graders Ella Townsend and Embree Meyer.
“Morgan and Addie are providing good leadership this season. I think all of the out-of-town kids on our squad look up to those girls,” Head coach Ashley Beaumont said. “We have several girls from area communities who are contributing to our program.”
“Morgan and Addie have both stepped up this season and have improved their speed. They are swimmers whom we can count on to score points for us,” Beaumont said.
“Danica is in her first year with us but she has been amazing and has stepped in right away and been a leader for the younger kids. She’ll make some nice contributions this season,” Beaumont said.
“Embree and Ella are both very hard working. When they are in the water you can’t tell that they are so young. They work hard. They keep up and they push themselves,” Beaumont said.
“Norah swims on Humboldt’s summer team. She has great speed. She is someone who is easily coachable. I’m excited to see which strokes fit her best. She is extremely hard working. Amelia has experience competing in the youth program” Beaumont said.
Beaumont is excited about this season with a squad of 25 total.
“We had just 10 girls out last year. To have 25 kids we can truly be a competitive team. It’s hard to win meets when you have low numbers. With this squad I have now, everyone can swim. It hasn’t required a lot of beginning teaching. They all can swim about every event,” Beaumont said.
“The fundamentals are in place so it’s a matter of making them competitive this season. I think we can compete for the top of the Iowa Alliance Conference,” Beaumont said.
“The numbers will help us keep everyone fresh. We have so many options we can go with. These first few meets we will find out a lot more about our team,” Beaumont said.
The squad opens at Des Moines East on Sept. 1. They host Des Moines Lincoln on Sept. 8.
2026 FORT DODGE GIRLS SWIMMING SCHEDULE
Aug. 29 at Mason City
Sept. 1 at Des Moines East
Sept. 8 Des Moines Lincoln
Sept. 10 Algona, SC West
Sept. 15 Des Moines North
Sept. 19 Winkler Invitational
Sept. 22 Marshalltown
Sept. 24 at Algona
Oct. 6 at DM Hoover Quad
Oct. 8 Carroll, Spencer
Oct. 13 at Mason City
Oct. 20 Host IAC meet
Oct. 22 Host IAC meet
