The varsity boys swim season began just a few short weeks ago on Nov. 21, and while being a varsity athlete in high school is an accomplishment in itself, making it as a freshman is an achievement on another level. 

Five freshmen boys, Gonzalo Zarazaga, Nate Steele, James Wang, Alvaro Reverter, and Matthew Kim all made the Boy’s Varsity Swim and Dive Team and have already sprung into the season.

The guys have pushed themselves and have shown what kind of hard work they are capable of for this upcoming season. 

“We had a time trial this past Saturday and all of the freshmen were able to show up and race fast… there’s been a lot of hard practice but the guys have seemed to adapt well,” senior Captain Dylan Walsh said.

The freshmen have had a history of pressure being put on them, as they have participated in  club swim teams before their high school career. One of the many benefits that come along with joining a high school sports team is the dynamic with your team that comes along with it. For these freshmen, team spirit is a major motivation during the rigorous season.

“The pressure of swim club is dependant on yourself. Sure the coaches are there to push you and help you improve… but everyone is working towards their own goals. But on varsity the pressure is on everyone, and every individual has something to gain from everyone improving. We all want each other to succeed for the sake of the team,” freshman Nate Steele said.

The team as a whole spends a large portion of their time during their week together, so it’s expected that they are going to bond. 

“The freshmen have been with us for only three weeks now, but have already had an immense impact on our team…they have pushed some of the older guys on our team to be even better,” Walsh said.

Throughout winter break, the team will practice a total of 24.5 hours which includes two multiple-hour practices on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. For freshmen, giving this amount of time and energy can be challenging to manage, however, these boys are used to the high level of commitment and are prepared to do whatever is needed to succeed on this team.

“[the freshmen] test themselves everyday, which is mature of them to do…there are a lot of freshmen who aren’t mature enough to handle this demand on their schedules, on their bodies, and on their minds.” Head Coach Cindy Dell said. These freshmen are truly making an impact on both their team and the season as a whole, “I don’t remember in 18 years of being the head coach here having a group of five freshmen that work as hard as they do.” Dell said.