The Chadron Sharks swim club is one of 27 in the country that is competing for a $5,000 grant-donation in the Go After Your Goals video contest, sponsored by all-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps through his line of Signature Swim Spas by Master Spas.

Each of the clubs has a 2-minute online video at the Go After Your Goals website explaining why viewers should vote for them, and the Sharks’ titled theirs The Little Pool on the Prairie.

Coach and Chadron Middle School teacher Barb McCartney says that’s because the Sharks, one of the smallest teams in Nebraska, have had to practice in a motel pool since Chadron State College closed its indoor pool last November as part of its Events Center project.

McCartney and the club hope to use the Phelps contest to help kick-start fundraising for a multi-million dollar proposal to enclose the outdoor Chadron city pool for year-round use.

She admits the odds of winning the $5,000 are slim, given the size of the other 26 clubs in the contest, but thinks just the chance to have a wider audience learn of their situation will bring more attention to the pool proposal and possible trigger other grants or donations.

“The contest is open to every USA Swimming swim team in the country and we’re the only one in Nebraska or Wyoming to enter, so it’s making our team more visible.”

Voting in the Michael Phelps contest is done online at www.GoAfterYourGoals.com with 1 vote a day per website. Voting continues through August 15 with the winner to be announced two days later.

The Chadron Sharks sat 12th after Monday’s voting with 411 votes. Leading was the Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics club of California with 6,055.