By working hard and encouraging others, the boys and girls swim and dive teams work towards their goal of making it to the district and state meets.
According to head coach Lou Williams, the swim season officially started in November of 2022.
Williams created an 18-week plan to “get [the team] to where we need to be at the end of the season.”
“Each week has little goals and training markers that we try to meet each week,” Williams said.
The district meets will be held on February 24 and 25.
In order to go to districts, swimmers and divers must qualify by swimming fast and diving precisely.
The last chance to qualify will be at the league meets which will be held on February 8-11.
If a swimmer or diver qualifies for districts, they have a further opportunity to qualify for the state meets, which will be held in March.
Many of the swimmers and divers on the teams believe that consistently showing up to practice is essential to improving and moving towards districts.
“Consistency is so key for our sport. If you are not showing up everyday and putting in your 100% effort, there is someone who is becoming faster than you,” junior Molly Kreag said. “So I’m just going to keep trying to show up even when I don’t want to go.”
According to senior Morgan James, going to practice makes it easier for her to stay efficient, especially as she is recovering from a sickness earlier in the season.
Junior Abraham Bleazard also find that communicating with the coaches and thinking hard about their advice helps him to improve.
“ I know I can do well on my own but I can’t see myself swimming,” Bleazard said. “I have to get insight from people that I know around me.”
Though practices can be tiring, the encouraging and fun team environment helps motivate people to work harder. Sophomore Blake Stanczewski is diving for the first time this season, even though he has been swimming for years.
“The team really has a big effect on me,” Stanczewski said.
“The diving community really brought me in as a teammate and they really encourage me to keep going.”
According to senior Avery Taylor, many swimmers will congratulate on her diving during the meets.
“[The swimmers] aren’t even diving and they congratulate me. I think that’s amazing. It’s so cool how everyone truly cares about everyone,” Taylor said.
James also finds that being with her team after a hard day gives her an opportunity to destress and get anger out.
“It definitely is nice to rant to those girls and know that everything I say is just in that little circle,” James said.
Williams said that the coaching staff is “stoked” about the way the season is going.
The swim team had a successful season last school year and the coaches were wondering how this season would go and things are looking good.
“[The coaches] are really happy. Things are going well,” Williams said.