The Lake Forest High School varsity girls swimming and diving team took ninth place in the Lake Forest Relays on August 26th and are looking to steadily improve throughout the season.  Although that was their first meet, the Scouts looked confident and strong.  

Some highlights for the day included Kendra Joachim, who took first place in the Sophomore 100 Yard Free with a time of 55.67. Aside from that, Ashley Updike placed second in the Sophomore 50 Yard Free with a time of just 25.46, and the relay team of sophomores Catherine Terkildsen, Ashley Updike, Kendra Joachim, and Emily Robinson took third in the Freshman/Sophomore 200 Yard Medley Relay with a time of 1:58.15. Also, Ashley Updike, Kendra Joachim, Miki Boveri, and Catherine Terkildsen secured third in the 400 Yard Medley (4x100IM) Relay with a strong overall time of 4:26.77.  That last relay finish is particularly impressive considering the team was composed of three sophomores and one freshman against the field of seniors and juniors.  

Sophomores and freshmen play a huge role on this year’s team. Junior Grace Spath reiterated the fact that the team is young. “We gained a lot of freshmen this year, and they are still figuring out what they’re strong in.  They’re going to do great.”  Of the eighteen varsity swimmers, six are freshmen and seven are sophomores.  Compared to the four juniors and one senior on this year’s team, it makes for a large number of underclassmen.  With practices starting August 14th, these underclassmen (freshmen in particular) were able to settle into their roles before the meets began.  

As superstar Ashley Updike put it, “Being a freshman on varsity was intimidating at first, but it also pushed me to reach goals I never thought I could.”

While the swimmers have been led by Coach Grevers since ‘06, girls diving doesn’t get to enjoy the familiarity of a veteran coach.  In fact, the diving team hasn’t had a coach at all this season, making it nearly impossible for the team to practice.  According to Grace Spath, they’ve “offered the job to three different people and all three backed down.”  She added, “Pretty much all other opposing teams have diving, so they compete and we just don’t get any diving points.”  Instead of practicing diving, varsity divers, “work out on the deck, play cards, and go in the weight room,” stated JV swimmer Margaux Miller. “Isabel (Rosa) is doing a great job as captain, though,” she added.  “It’s a tough situation.”

LFHS varsity girls swimming and diving will take on Stevenson today at home.