When being a school known for its football team or sportsmanship in general, sports other than football, basketball, and volleyball can be overlooked. Specifically the swim team.
Sarah Potts, a junior on her swim team, is a leader who supports her teammates during meets by encouraging them and celebrating both good and bad races. She feels that the team bonds particularly strongly during the North Half and State meet, where they work together towards a common goal. Her biggest challenge in swimming is not improving her times, which she overcomes by working hard in practice. Sarah is most proud of her team’s performance this year, coming close to winning the state meet, and they handle setbacks by working even harder.
Colin Wright, a swimmer, aims to win both his events in the current season, as he did in the previous one. Looking ahead, he aspires to continue swimming in college. He is inspired by his older teammates who have graduated but motivated him to improve daily. Colin advises young swimmers to attend practice regularly and emphasizes that sports provide challenges to overcome. For aspiring athletes, he suggests fostering a sense of family within the team to build on teamwork and leadership.
Autumn Sweeney discusses her challenges in maintaining a positive attitude throughout her swimming career, highlighting her role as a team captain and the importance of leadership. She overcame a sophomore-year injury through diligent exercise. Sweeney’s proudest accomplishment is leading her team. Looking ahead, she envisions her future in swimming but is non-committal about specific goals for the current season. She advises young swimmers to pursue their passion and emphasizes the value of sports in empowering youth. For aspiring athletes, she suggests being patient and leading with empathy.
Chase Bigham, a swim team member, began his swimming journey four years ago at the encouragement of Coach Smith. He describes his team as a family and acknowledges the challenge of balancing academics and athletics, particularly managing homework around practice schedules. His current focus is on improving sprint technique, which is crucial for both speed and competition success. His training routine involves a consistent weekly schedule with adjustments leading up to major meets, such as reducing yardage to avoid fatigue. Mentally, he prepares for competitions by maintaining a regular routine, including eating beforehand to avoid distractions.
These four members of the swim team share insight into their sport and should be recognized just as much as football.
