THE ODDS had been stacked against them since the swim season began, with Molong's Mighty Marlins' pool filled with November floodwaters, thick muck and assorted debris.
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"Our 33 metre pool was completely filled with mud and rubbish," Marlins parent, Kate Strahorn said.
"We had teams of volunteers come in and the mayor [Kevin Beatty] arrived and said 'what do you need' - fire trucks and the whole community came in to drain the pool and help out."
Following a delayed and unwelcome start to the season, the village's swim club went ahead with lessons when it could, with the final race meet of the year ending with near-deafening cheering amidst 300-odd attendees.
The Small Towns Carnival, consisting of swim clubs from Cudal, Cumnock, Manildra, Molong and Yeoval, compete each weekend for "the coveted Small Towns Shield" - an almighty plaque for these villages - which recognises hard work and collaboration by the end of term.
Though, Molong's last claim to fame was marked '1996-1997' on the wooden plate - 25 long years ago - until the season's overall points were tallied on the weekend.
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The Mighty Marlins squad claimed four of five shields on Saturday, which included the Small Towns Shield.
"It's particularly special this year because of the challenging start we had," Mrs Strahorn said.
"None of these kids were able to swim in December and the pool's a big part of small towns. If you build sporting resources and facilities for smaller communities, they're so well supported - and we'll use them every time."
Head coach for a second year, Theresa Armstrong lead war cries with the children, belting out tunes of encouragement and motivation as a squad - factors which Mrs Strahorn said the club has been immensely grateful for.
"We've got about 95 kids and those numbers have really swelled since Theresa became our head coach," she said.
"The sense of community that she's brought with her and the spirit and the fun ... it's just such a wonderful partnership and we're very thankful for her."
Having served for decades in the United States Army, Mrs Armstrong rose to the rank of Commanding Officer with some 4000 troops under her command in Iraq, and is the recipient of a Bronze Star for heroic achievement.
"I served around 30 years in the army and one of the things I've learned is you've got to have that team spirit to get the most out of what you're working for," Mrs Armstrong said.
"I used to swim and do triathlons with the army until I got blown up, so I had to learn how to walk. I can't run as far anymore, but one of the things that you want to be able to do is to give back to your community and that's something that I believe is so important.
"So, when [Molong] asked me to come out to coach I said 'absolutely, how many kids'.
"Bringing the community together and building the team has created the best team that we've ever seen and I think everybody needs to learn how to swim. So, if you can have fun while you're doing it, then why not - and I'm a big believer in having fun."
With the Mighty Marlins' big comeback now firmly tucked under their swimming caps, the volunteer-driven club says it's been an unforgettable term.
"To finish with this achievement is just so wonderful for the kids, especially after the challenging start to this season with flooding and COVID," Mrs Strahorn added.
"It's a reflection of our community and with such a great turn out ... it's just a really unique and special day."
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