Sierra Wyatt adjusts her goggles while preparing to dive in during the Tidal Wave Invite last month. She and Tiftarea will compete for district honors Saturday.

TIFTON — The busiest time of the year for Tiftarea Tidal Wave swimming gets started Saturday morning with the District 3 meet at the Baldwin Drive Aquatic Center.

Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m.

Tiftarea will vie against Thomasville, Moultrie, Bainbridge and Fitzgerald in the Class B/C division. Valdosta will compete as well, but as District 3’s sole Class A team. Class B/C state qualifiers will be back in action in Tifton next week; Valdosta will compete in the Class A meet in Cumming.

Tidal Wave head coach Dustin Bengston said his team would have 50 swimmers involved in the meet.

Normally an even larger group, he said that this event was limited to 7-year-olds and older.

“So our real little guys are out,” he said.

The Tidal Wave will also be missing a few older swimmers that are participating in USA Swimming state cuts.

Having several names missing won’t be the biggest challenge for Bengston. Instead, it will be the water itself. He said the water temperature had been in the low 90s. Out of the pool, The Weather Channel predicts temperature will top at 91 degrees.

There is also a chance of rain, but Bengston believes they will be OK.

Tiftarea outscored Thomasville last year, 931-556, to take the top team spot.

In a meet mostly consisting of district teams, the Tidal Wave won its own invitational earlier this year with 4,068.5 points. The next closest team had 1,625. Other meets this season have been at Moultrie and Thomasville.

“We expect them to perform very well as a group,” said Bengston of his team. “They have put in lots of hours of hard work.”

Bengston said that his swimmers had “made a lot of improvements technique-wise.”

Spectators and swimmers will have plenty to stay occupied and cool during the meet. Several vendors will be available with gear and treats.

The Baldwin Drive Aquatic Center will remain busy next week as well. The state B/C meet is a two-day event, bringing teams from across the state; Oconee County Parks and Recreation won the team competition last year. Even missing some of its top swimmers in 2016, Tiftarea was fifth in the competition.