Swimming
Broadcast Journalism interviewed representatives of the boys and girls swim teams regarding their upcoming competition season, with Owen Weller and Evan Katz speaking for the boys team and Fiona Beacom and Alexa Leo speaking for the girls team.
The team’s first meet was on the 13th, resulting in a tough loss against Chatham. Madison swimming will challenge Morristown on the 20th, then return to their home venue in January to race Parsippany Hills.
Madison swimmers have 1 hour practices at the local YMCA Monday through Friday to prepare for meets. Speaking on how the team prepared for this meet, senior Owen Weller said that “all the swimmers are working super hard in and out of the water to get ready for our first meet,” which includes the numerous freshmen on the team.
Between the two teams, there are nineteen freshmen: seven for the boys and twelve for the girls. According to Alexa Leo, “the addition of freshmen builds the program itself and also just adds diversity to the team. And sometimes you can get someone who’s insanely good and brings up the team.”
This is especially true in relay teams, who often lose their best members when seniors graduate out of the program. Owen shared his thoughts on the previously-award-winning 200m medley team, including seniors Artha Abeysinghe and Justin Lee, after both graduated, stating that a few freshmen are in contention for the spots.
Against Chatham, the relay team members were Senior Owen Weller, Sophomore Anuthra Abeysinghe, Sophomore Jacques Chemaly, and Freshman Spencer Rosenbaum. All of these swimmers also participate in club swimming.
Many competitive swimmers also participate in a year long club season, in which practices regularly last 3 hours. The school season is therefore more relaxed for the more competitive club swimmers. Owen Weller described the two seasons as “very different.” However, swimmers are able to manage both seasons as “you only have to go to six highschool practices” “I go to my six every year, then I mostly participate through meets.”
The girls team is coming off a very successful season, being seeded third in last year’s playoffs. Looking forward to the rest of the season, Fiona expressed “feeling confident. We lost a few swimmers who were really good and brought the team up… But I’m confident we’ll do well and improve.”
Despite graduating six seniors, the program grew from 34 to 39 members on the girls side. The boys team decreased by one swimmer, yet the team is still confident in their ability to perform and place well this season. The seniors who were interviewed expressed that they are always welcome to new members and love to grow the program.
When asked why they joined the swim team, the senior athletes looked back on their years of swimming and the sports association to family, or what some members of the audience call the “swamily”. The swim team seems to emphasize a sense of community, and that aspect of the competition has kept our team swimming now and for seasons to come.
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