By Adam Frank
The girls’ swim team is staying strong as it heads into the final stage of its season.
Senior captain Jessie Rosen says she is proud of how the team has performed this year. She believes that every swimmer has made progress and helped the team succeed.
“All of our swimmers have improved, which is awesome to see,” Rosen said.
Since South does not have its own swimming pool, the team practices at Newton North. While this travel can be an inconvenience, team members try to stay positive and focus on their work.
“We make the best of the situation,” Rosen said.
The Lions have not won many meets this year, but several South swimmers have qualified for the sectional and state tournaments.
Freshman Alexia Miquel, who qualified for both sectionals and states, has shined in her first year on the team.
Miquel qualified for sectionals in the 100-meter breast stroke, the 200 meter individual medley, the 200 meter freestyle and the 100-meter back stroke. She is also one of two South swimmers to qualify for states as she will be competing in the 100-meter breast stroke.
“Alexia has done spectacularly,” senior captain Jenny Kaufman said.
Miquel has enjoyed competing with upperclassmen and gaining experience from these older swimmers. Still, she has tried not to let the pressure of being a varsity swimmer overwhelm her.
“Being a freshman isn’t much different besides not always knowing what to expect at meets,” Miquel said.
Miquel had been training for sectionals, but they were rescheduled due to the recent blizzard. Now she is turning her attention to states. “I have been tapering for the past week to get ready,” she said.
Tapering is a common technique in which swimmers train without exhausting themselves by swimming shorter distances. Miquel hopes that this strategy will keep her muscles fresh for the upcoming tournament.
South’s other swimmers have been preparing diligently as well. Recently, the team has focused on its starts and turns during practice to gain an edge in competitions.
The Lions have grown together as a team this season, and they have been proud of their performance.
“The swim team is great,” Kaufman said. “We are like one big family!”
