The girls swimming season has begun, and the team is looking to further improve upon last year’s success. This season, with about 20 girls on the team, head coach Cassie Rodriguez is looking to utilize her new and returning talent to achieve a high level of competition for the 2019 season. 

According to Rodriguez, the team lost only two senior swimmers and gained six freshmen. Rodriguez is happy with these numbers.

“I’m always hoping for new swimmers to join the team, but we like the group that we have and the size still allows us to be able to create individual relationships with each athlete,” Rodriguez said.

Amie Barrow, sophomore and varsity swimmer, is also satisfied with the team lineup this year.

“We have a backstroker now … I think our 200 medley relay will do a lot better now that we have people that can swim every stroke,” Barrow said.

Elaina North, a junior swimming for her third year, believes that being able to connect with every athlete is crucial.

“We are starting to spend more time together outside of the pool and being able to create friendships and make them stronger … I want to make sure I can connect with everybody on the team,” North said. “[The team] is very family-like, especially once we get towards the middle or end of the season–we’ve spent a lot of time together so everybody has gotten a chance to know everybody else.”

North also looks forward to the state meet, which will be held on Nov. 16.

“I think we’ll have a few solid swims at state,” North said. “It’ll be a really good chance to see some of the upperclassmen and some of the really fast lowerclassmen to go swim well.”

The loss of only one or two senior swimmers was not very detrimental, Barrow says, and has allowed for talent to build up, which should mean a stronger team than last season.

“I think we’ll have more individual qualifiers at sectionals and state [than last year],” Barrow said. 

To get there, though, the team will have to train hard. Rodriguez outlines new training plans meant to transform her swimmers into faster ones.

“I’d like to try and push them out of their comfort zones a little bit more,” Rodriguez said. “I think getting into those uncomfortable places when you’re training help to make you a better swimmer at the end of the season.”

Rodriguez reflected on last season’s success.

“I think we did really well last year,” Rodriguez said. “We had some great success at the end of the season, but still have some high goals to achieve so the girls are ready to work hard and get there.”