For the three days, I hung out in Lincoln for the Nebraska State Swim and Dive Championships. Three days of a middle-aged woman among teenagers in skin-tight speedos, jammers and speed suits. My ego will be in check.
But I digress.
Swimming is unique in Nebraska sports in that there are no class divisions. There are no A, B, C or D distinctions to divide the teams. McCook is competing against every school in Omaha, Lincoln and across the state with a swim team. McCook is among the smallest schools - if not the smallest - with a swim team and remains competitive.
And to qualify for the state meet, swimmers must post not just qualifying times as set by the NSAA, but also post qualifying times which are among the fastest in the state compared to all the other swimmers. So to qualify is an accomplishment, although everyone who heads to the pool at the Deveny Center is not there just to compete but to be competitive.
In addition to celebrating these swimmers and divers, there are two reasons I bring this up.
The first is very personal since my husband, Jon Graff, is the head coach for the swim team. His assistant coach is Dan Burns. Both of these men are McCook natives and graduates of McCook High School, who chose to return to their hometown and raise their families.
Dan and Jon didn’t just go to school together. They also competed on the swim and dive teams growing up. As they have for many years, they are sharing their passion and expertise for the sport with younger people. In fact, this year they are both taking one of their own high school child to the state meet to compete.
So we are seeing one generation pass along their love of a sport and their high school and their hometown directly to the next generation. This is something that should be celebrated. As we look at the pictures of these state swimmers, are we seeing the next generation of coaches, teachers, workers, leaders, volunteers, city council members who will choose to return to McCook?
That leads to the second reason I bring up the swim team and yes, it’s personal again.
(I should have “pool” tattoo’d across my forehead because not a day goes by that I don’t talk about it.)
If we want to remain competitive in swimming on the state level, we must have kids who have a love of swimming to start with. They must enjoy being the pool just for fun, otherwise they won’t want to dedicate the countless hours needs to be competitive.
This means creating an environment - yes, creating a pool - where kids want to be, where they want to be for generations to come.
And building a pool isn’t just about having a competitive swim team.
We live among three lakes with a river which sometimes has water so kids need to know how to swim. Kids who know how to swim have the additional advantage of a job as a lifeguard. And it’s a lifelong sport…just visit the YMCA during lap time and you will see swimmers of all ages crisscrossing the pool.
The pool is just part of the big picture for our community which needs to be researched and considered as we try to build a place that our kids will want to return to. So ask yourself these questions:
Are we doing enough to encourage our young people right now to return to their hometown? Are we creating a welcoming environment that they want to be part of? Are we building a community that gets them (and us) excited to belong to?
Our young people, as well as other newcomers, should not be here because they don’t have any other choice but because they choose to, because they want to, because they know we are dong everything we can to make that happen.
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I would personally like to thank everyone who attended McCook’s town hall meeting in February. It was great to see every chair filled, even if they were six feet apart. It was also great to hear such passionate, articulate, thoughtful ideas from so many people.
It was obvious that people care about this community and what to make it even better.
There was a lot going on last week, from basketball games to winter break, so if you haven’t had a chance to share your ideas, there is still time.
In fact, there is always time to share your ideas. You don’t need a town hall or a meeting to contact your representatives and let them know what your think and how you feel.
Look up your city council person’s email. Google your state representatives phone number. Find your school board member’s address.
They can’t make informed decisions if they don’t hear from their constituents to know what you want or think, so take a few minutes to reach out to them. It will take all of us reaching out and working tother to make our community an even better place to call home.
Sara Rippen named February 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month
Practicing Good Stewardship Takes Effort But Reaps Many Rewards
Bison Days brings high schoolers and community members to learn about job possibilities but also interests and hobbies in their hometown.
With little to snow on the ground in McCook, holiday lights help beat the drab and dreary season.
To kick off the new year, Jo Beebe has been selected as the January 2026 McCook Volunteer of the month. While many people might know Jo for her years at the Sports Shoppe, she can be found giving hours of her time to the community, especially at St. Patrick Church. Whether during the weekly Mass or for a funeral or wedding, Jo shares her beautiful voice from the choir loft, as well as leading the choir members. Jo, along with her husband Harold, also has served as the St. Pat’s GALA host couple in the past and continues to help with set-up and cleanup of the annual event. Jo is also active with the Fall Festival, the Rosary Rally and the Wild Game Feed in Curtis every year. She attends every the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults class and helps students prepare for confirmation. And since retiring from the Sports Shoppe, she is active in the Altar Society, and volunteers at the Bargain Bazaar thrift store. According to her nomination, “The way Jo gives of her time and talents to our parish and community is a reflection of her faith,” and the community and the church are better because of her generosity. The McCook Philanthropy Council selects the monthly recipient for the McCook Volunteer of the Month award as part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s McCook Volunteer program. If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308.340.3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org to complete a nomination form. The only requirement is that the nominee must be a resident of McCook or Red Willow County. Please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community.
Master Storyteller Will be Missed but Memories Remain
Maintaining the status quo or not doing anything may be cheaper initially but long-term, the costs are more.
Make 2026 memorable by getting involved and making an impact in your community.
As the year comes to a close, members of the MCFF Advisory Committee share "why" they do their community work.
