Freshman swimmers surpass expectations in pool

MarthaEngel

Water splashes from the pool, gathers in puddles on the cement and it’s an early morning at swim practice. When it’s high school swim season, the swim team’s practices focus on skills and goals, yes, but also on friendship and finding good attitudes in a demanding sport. 

For freshman Maryn Beber, the swim team has become a challenging and rewarding part of high school. Along with this, “Pushing through practices is hard,” she said. The swimmers have to push themselves to focus on their goals, but, “If you don’t have a good mindset it’s impossible to get through practices,” Beber said. 

While it’s a physically and mentally demanding sport, it’s a lesson in positivity, endurance and motivation. Beyond this, in high school swimming, as opposed to the club season, “you’re racing against people who have been swimming longer than you, and have more experience,” Beber said. 

Freshman Olivia French also knows the challenge of swimming in the high school season: “It’s different because you’re swimming with older girls… [and] just being pushed more than in club,” she said. “High school is no joke, especially the relays.” 

Also, she said, “If I’m on the relay, I’d be the only freshman on the relay,” pushing her to set her sights on speed and contributing to the team as a whole. She’s learned that “you can’t lose it, you just have to go,” French said. 

And her hard work has paid off. French reached an automatic time for state earlier in the season and has a new focus: “Placing top eight at state is my goal and just being on the relay,” she said. Her advice for the season? “Don’t worry about the practices; if you have a good attitude and mindset then you’ll get through them,” she said. It’s all about a good mindset. 

State swimming, which is on Feb. 22 for diving and Feb. 23-24 for swim, is not the only anticipated day during the swim season, though. There’s also surprise practice. It’s “like Surprise Day, but it’s just surprise practice, and we go do something fun,” Beber said. Marian’s beloved Surprise Day tradition turns into a team bonding night for the swim team, builds relationships among teammates and becomes a fun day apart from practice at the pool. This year surprise practice was on Jan. 24. 

While being on the swim team includes many early practices and late nights of homework, it also brings the ability to set goals, improve on the sport and create friendships that go beyond the pool. And most of all, it’s important to “just have fun,” Beber said.