Dec. 6, 2023
Anastasia Loutroutzis
Webmaster
The swim team, which has 19 returning swimmers, welcomed 22 new members this season.
Senior Amber Vergara, who has been on varsity since her freshman year, said the low number of swimmers put the team at a disadvantage in the past, so she is excited to have new members with varying experience levels.
“I am optimistic about the number of swimmers we have so far, and I want to ensure that they stick around for the rest of the season,” Vergara said. “I want our sportsmanship to be strong.”
Vergara said Head Coach Frew, who has been coaching the team since 2009, put in his best effort to get the team conditioned and prepared for its first meet of the season at home against Garfield High School on Dec. 7.
“Our first meets are usually challenging considering that we are given only two weeks of preparation,” Vergara said. “Both new and experienced swimmers have to learn or polish up on things they may have forgotten.”
Vergara said she will strive to set new personal records this season.
“I expect us to start strong and stay determined. It won’t be easy, especially for the newer members, but we’ll support each other and perform the best we can.”
“I really want to make this one of the best [seasons] not just for myself but everyone else,” Vergara said.
Junior Nancy Attia, who has been on varsity for three years and swam on a club team for five years, said she is hopeful about the season.
“There will be really good outcomes because the team is getting bigger, so we have a good chance of winning,” Attia said.
She said she wants to work hard to improve her speed while remaining humble and helping others.
“I am most excited about the bonding experiences, having a lot of new people on the team [and] making the new swimmers comfortable,” Attia said.
Senior Ismael Gavino, who is in his second season on varsity, said the swimmers demonstrate a strong bond even when they are not practicing or competing.
“We always stretch as a team before meets and practices. It helps us clear our heads,” Gavino said. “We also go to swim dinners after every meet. It’s great for morale.”
Gavino said the new members and returning swimmers who trained during the offseason strengthen the team’s potential.
“I expect us to start strong and stay determined. It won’t be easy, especially for the newer members, but we’ll support each other and perform the best we can,” Gavino said.
He said he looks forward to contributing to the team’s winning mentality.
“We are pushing hard during our practices while also keeping a positive attitude for what’s to come,” Gavino said. “Our goal is to keep pushing the barrier of our limit and improving every day.”
