The girls’ swimming team, coached by Mrs. Chirico, concluded an impressive season this year with a record of 5 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie. They demonstrated remarkable dedication in their pursuit of a state championship; however, their journey came to a close, following the second round of competition. 

This is not considered a loss in their perspective; Elease Belents, a team captain, along with Ruby Holmes, significantly contributed to motivating their teammates to perform at their highest potential. Elease remarks that there is a significant amount of cheering during the meet, which helps to foster a collective mindset among the team, preparing them to swim with full commitment. The captains not only motivate their teammates but also extend encouragement to their opponents.  Elease remarked, “At the end of the meet, we always do a cheer for the other team. Usually just swim courtesy that you’ll go over to the lane next to you and shake hands with the other swimmers.”  

When asking Elease about the significant challenges she encountered throughout the season and the strategies she employed to address them, she spoke about how in previous years, the girls’ swim team just hadn’t been doing their best. “I think this year our biggest challenge was our own mentality and just how to get out of our heads about our previous records. This year we’ve been doing great and all the girls I can say have just come and given it their all and we’re having a winning season this year.” With that, the girls’ swim team finished their season with a strong record and received considerable support and enthusiasm from their community.

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The boys’ swimming team wrapped up an outstanding season this year, led by Coach Klippel, achieving an undefeated record of 11-0. Making it to States, they went all the way to the final round but sadly lost. klippe

The captains this year were Kenneth Barnicle and Martin Castro-Salazar, who faced great responsibilities with leadership and lineups.  “Sometimes if it’s like a super challenging meet, Kenny and I make it just to make sure that our best swimmers are in all the best events so you can really get as many points and do as well as possible” Martin says. Besides that, they encourage swimmers to help them with their techniques. During meets where the girls or the boys are losing or it’s a competitive meet, the captains do a lot of cheering and a lot of motivation. 

This year the boys have maintained an undefeated record in their conference, which led the captains to believe that they performed exceptionally well this season. “As an upperclassman and a club swimmer, I would say I played a significant role in contributing to our points and competitive success” Martin states. Additionally, he also believes he and Kenny provided substantial assistance to the underclassmen in refining their techniques. In swimming, it is crucial to ensure that swimmers in the B and C lanes score points, as this can be pivotal in surpassing their competitors. By offering guidance to these swimmers, they have successfully secured those vital points.