If you’re looking for something special to do in Barrington this weekend, The Barrington Swim Club and the Barrington Area Masters swim club are hosting a pre-release screening of the swimming documentary, Touch the Wall, the story of two women and their their journey to swimming’s highest stage – the 2012 London Olympics.
You can see the film at the Barrington Area Library and a $5 donation will be requested for admission. Show times are at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, January 30th or at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 31st. An introduction will be given by Doug McConnell, a Barrington-based English Channel swimmer and holder of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
Touch the Wall chronicles two swimmers who are training for the US Olympic Trials to try to make the US Olympic Team in 2012. Both swimmers happen to be women (Missy Franklin and Kara Lynn Joyce) and Doug says the film offers a really interesting look inside world-class swimming and the relationship between friends and competitors.
“Rarely does the public have an inside glimpse into the challenges and difficulties that world-class swimmers endure. The hours of training, the sacrifices and the emotional roller coaster that swimmers cope with are just mind-boggling to most people. The U.S. Olympic Trials are considered to be the highest-pressure swimming meet in the world, far more than the Olympic Games themselves. Entire swimming careers soar or are shattered by hundredths of seconds. This movie explores the unique relationship between these two gifted swimmers, both as fierce competitors and as fast friends.”
Documentarians describe Touch the Wall as “The story of two women and their their journey to swimming’s highest stage – the 2012 London Olympics. The young phenom, Missy Franklin, is just beginning her career and is saddled with mile-high expectations. The veteran Kara Lynn Joyce, is trying to rediscover the juice that took her the previous two Olympics. Touch the Wall is a story of winning and losing, of commitment, and triumph through adversity. It’s also a story of family, of loving what you do, and having fun with the people around you. In a world starved for heroes, Missy and Kara stand tall in Touch the Wall.”
Doug McConnell says this pre-screening comes at the perfect time, with so many top performing young swimmers currently in Barrington.
“Interestingly, I was visiting with the head coach of the Barrington Swim Club (the age-group club) the other day, and he indicated that he expects that four or five BSC swimmers will make appearances at next year’s Olympic Trials. For a club with only 200 kids, that is a remarkable achievement, and shows just how much passion and commitment there is to swimming in our area.”
You’ll find the Barrington Area Library at 505 North Northwest Highway and you can learn more about the film at TouchTheWall.com.
