Changes in leadership cause anticipated swim season

Although there is a lot of new talent splashing into the pool this year, it can’t hide the fact that an abundance of skilled seniors graduated last year and left the swim team with a fraction of its former talent. The new school year has brought in new challenges, but also a lot of new strong competitors from the 67 swimmers who made it onto the team from tryouts.
The team has worked in its first few weeks of practice to adjust its leadership roles. “We lost about six or seven girl seniors, so it’s really going to have an impact on the girls team, which is going to leave a lot of room for the younger girls to step up” head coach Kristoff Berzins said. With a win for the girls at the first “swimvite” at Benson high, Berzins sees a bright future for both the boys and girls team this season.
Prominent new leaders stepped up this year to ensure the expected strength of the team. With new freshman up to returning seniors, the team has an age diversity with talent springing up at all four grade levels “Jessie Ferguson is our returning senior girl this year so she’ll be one of our leaders”, Berzins said, “Quinn Williams is stepping into the slot that was left by Calvin Depriest”. Although the leaders are mostly upperclassmen, an abundance of younger talent is also showing prominence on the team. “As far as underclassmen go, Grant Goding is definitely stepping up in the leadership role” Berzins said.
Expectations are high for this season as swimmers expect more positivity with this altered leadership. “We’re more of a positive team and I feel a lot closer to the people on my team more than ever because last year the seniors all had really negative attitudes” varsity swimmer Maggie Germonprez said. “so even though we’re not as fast… we are all teammates now and it’s a better experience”.
Overall, with the change in leadership has come a new structure to the team. Both the boys and girls are working to improve since the loss of the seniors and their talents last year, but a more positive environment has been created. “What I think is most important is everyone being happy and feeling like a team” Germonprez said.