With Sectionals on the horizon, boys’ swimming relentlessly prepares their minds and bodies for the grueling event.
Swimming about 3,000 to 5,000 yards a day, five days a week, Senior Ty Mercer, Sophomore Josiah Coulter, and Juniors Cole Hurst, Noah Newman, and Jacob Cruz hone their performance and technique at practices to better prepare for their big meet.
Hurst, feeling the nerves and excitement of anticipation, expresses the necessity of hard work and effort involved in the process of preparing himself and his teammates for Sectionals.
“I feel like I personally need to focus more on how I am swimming rather than just swimming the rest and trying to get it over with,” he said.
Newman also feels the anxiousness of performing at such a large meet. However, his confidence overpowers his anxiety as he feels sufficiently ready for the weight and severity of competition with the help of his rigorous training.
“Everybody feels anxious,” he said. “It’s normal, competing in front of all those people and with all of those people. I’ve been training hard with a lot of swimming. I swim probably 3,000 to 5,000 yards a day.”
In regards to relay events, expectations are high as well. Junior and team captain Jacob Cruz holds his relay team to high standards and is sure they can reach new heights while competing.
“I do think we have potential to PR,” he said. “If theres a 15 second PR on the relay, that means I’m dropping like seven seconds, or maybe even Cole and Ty. It’s doable, but I’d have to really push myself.”
Senior Ty Mercer expresses his worries for the 400 Freestyle relay, and the team’s ability to keep high spirits and energy since the event is the very last of the meet.
“I think since it’s at the end of everything, we get gassed,” he said. “Demotivation and the lack of energy will probably keep us down.”
However, Cruz makes sure to dispel any worries his fellow team members may have and always offers words of advice to uplift their spirits and determination.
“I tell them to do their best, swim fast, and that if they didn’t PR that meet, they’ll PR the next meet. I tell them to just work harder at practice,” he said.”
After witnessing an increase in mental and physical effort within his teammates and support from his coaches, Newman belives that everyone has contributed to the team’s progress overall to be where they are now, preparing to compete.
“I hope we’ll all be better,” he said. “Cole has been fixing his backstroke, Jacob’s been fixing breaststroke, I’ve been fixing fly. I feel like we’re all at the best we can be at this moment.”
