As the boys swim team crossed the finish line, wrapping up the season, they secured a number of medals at the WIAA sectionals meet and later at state, where they placed 7th.
Coaching the team is Cassie Rodriguez, who has been in the coaching profession since 2013. In the past, Rodriguez was an assistant swim coach at Nicolet, Luther College, and Brown University. As for her career at Shorewood, she has another triumphant season under her belt this year, with several swimmers making it to state.
Rodriguez reflects on her initial worries about the season.
“It’s always a challenge to create training regimes that work for all of the swimmers on the team,” Rodriguez said.
Throughout the season, the team consistently secured victories in meets. Rodriguez noted several accomplishments.
“The team being undefeated in Dual meets, and winning Conference Relays and Conference, as well as finishing as runners up at WIAA Sectionals.” Rodriguez said. “Sectionals were also great; we had a lot of time drops to either season best or lifetime best times.”
Overall, Shorewood finished in second place at the sectionals meet, advancing three relays and seven individual swims to the State Championship. These swimmers include seniors, Johan Bannink, Noah Mulvey, and James Simon; juniors, Julian Sherman and Soren Wall; and freshman, Ethan Kim.
“The biggest challenge we’ve faced is trying to fit in new swimmers in various events to fill in the holes left by our seniors who graduated last year,” Rodriguez said. “Those seniors were key to our team’s success last year, but these new and returning swimmers have stepped up in big ways.”
Mulvey placed first in the 100m breaststroke at the sectional meet, going on to swim the 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 200m free relay (with Bannick, Simon, and Wall), and the 200m medley relay (with Simon, Sherman, and Kim) at the state meet.
For Mulvey, the state meet went particularly well, with personal records in multiple events.
“I swam a PR in the 50m with a time of 22.02 seconds and I swam a PR in the 100m with [a time of] 100.17 seconds,” Mulvey said.
According to Rodriguez, with all of the new additions to the team, there has been a notable shift in the environment.
“We have a lot of new freshmen this year, but all who have experience in competitive swimming, so their impact has been immediate,” said Rodriguez.
Kim mainly does sprinting, fly back, and free. Kim qualified in the 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle relay, 100m backstroke and medley relay.
“State went pretty well; I had consistent times,” Kim said. “My personal record swims this season were 54 [seconds] in butterfly and 56 [seconds] in backstroke.”
Kim observed that the team dynamic has been notably positive.
“Everyone’s fun to be around and exceptionally kind,” Kim said.
According to Mulvey, connections are part of a strong team.
“I think the team had a lot of community and all the guys got along really well,” Mulvey said.
Now that State has ended, Kim plans on participating in the Shorewood Swim Club.
“It’s kind of like high school, but there’s less meets, and more practices.” Kim said, “I find it harder, though.”
Many others will continue competing along with Kim through the Swim Club, preparing for State and Nationals in the spring.