It is not often that a school adds a sport to its athletic department that it already has.  Actually, it has never happened before, until now. Piedmont University now has both two men’s and two women’s swimming teams here at Piedmont.

“I totally forgot about the team we already had, I am going to be completely honest,” said Piedmont University Athletic Director, Jim Peeples. “You know, I called Coach Guyer and I interviewed him for the job. He told me he was the active swim coach at Piedmont University and we still hired him. I should have known that we had a team already, but at least we hired the same coach.”

The original swim team was announced in 2019 by Piedmont. Coach Teddy Guyer was also hired to be the original coach of that program as well. Now, Guyer, and newly hired assistant coach, retired Olympian Michael Phelps, are overseeing all four teams.

“I was very surprised when Coach Peeples emailed me to tell me I had to interview for a brand new coaching job.  I thought to myself, ‘If he wants to fire me, why does he not just say that?’” said Coach Guyer.  “However, he told me ‘You know gang, we are just trying to hire a guy who is comfortable with the program and comfortable with the school.’ I knew I was the perfect candidate since I was already the swim coach at Piedmont.”

Coach Peeples was not the only person at Piedmont to forget that there was already a swim team at the University.  Many students were confused as well.

“I really thought this was a brand new team that we were getting, but then I saw that we already introduced a swim team back in 2019,” said senior mass communications major Emma Marti.  “I never heard anything about swimming or saw anything about it either.  Then we have a brand new, or what should have been brand new, program here at Piedmont.”

Coach Michael Phelps was also confused about the new program and Piedmont University, despite knowing all about Demorest, Georgia.

“My family used to come to Demorest all the time on vacation.  I knew after I retired from swimming that I wanted to live here,” said Phelps.  “However, I did not know Piedmont had a swim program.  Now that they have added another two teams despite already having two, Coach Guyer was spending 20 hours a day coaching and recruiting.  I told him I would help out and do anything for the great school in the greatest town in the country, that being Demorest, Georgia.”

This story is part of The Roar’s annual, comprehensive April Fools coverage of Piedmont University.