Meet the Chicago Smelts swim team, one of the the city's longest-running LGBTQ+ organizations
The Chicago Smelts are one of the city's longest-running LGBTQ+ organizations, a swim team that's been making waves both in and out of the pool.
Most swim teams are built for speed. They practice to shave off milliseconds and win medals.
At Gill Park Pool on the North Side, the Chicago Smelts are doing all of that but in a lane of their own.
"I was looking for a team in the area, I am queer myself, so the fact that it was a queer focused swim team was great," said Annika Ness.
Ness has been a coach with the Smelts for the last five years. On the team, your fitness level, pronouns and sexuality doesn't matter.
"We have a wide variety of people on our team. Anyone is welcome. We always strive to have an inclusive welcoming environment here at the Smelts," said Andrew Farthing, marketing officer.
The smelts are a LGBTQ+ competitive swim team. They compete in U.S. Masters meets and in the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Association. They formed during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
The team was looking for a pool to practice in and were met with resistance from the Chicago Park District. Then they came to Gill Park in Northalsted and found one Masters swimmer had the pool to himself. The Smelts asked if they could practice and they remain at Gill Pool to this day, as the team has continued to grow.
"We are at the highest member number that we've been at. We are over 160 members right now that are active," Farthing said.
"I joke with my partner a lot that I can't leave the house without seeing a Smelt," said Ness.
Now the Smelts swim in two Chicago area pools, and almost 40 swimmers are training for the Gay Games in Valencia, Spain.
But outside of competing, the group is always planning social events to get out into the community.
The Smelts will be in the Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28, which also happens to be when some of their members will be in Spain for the Gay Games. They said they will still be out on Broadway in full force.
"Our theme is 'Under the Sea,' so aquatic themed of course," said Farthing.
The Smelts hope clubs like this continue to grow across the country, a place where everyone can show up exactly as they are and be welcomed in any lane.
"I just could not be more grateful for this community and it's just so special and I am so glad that I found it," Ness said.
