What made you decide to become a swimmer?

I started swimming in 4th grade. My sister and I had been taking swim lessons at the Y for a few years, so my parents thought it would be a good idea to have us join a team. I’ve been swimming for SSC (Southeastern Swim Club) ever since.

What is the highlight of your swimming career?

I’d say the highlight of my swimming career was my freshman season. Our girls team won sections and finished 3rd at state!

Now that you’re about halfway through, what effect has COVID-19 had on your season? What precautions are you and your team taking to avoid potential shutdown?

Covid has had a large impact on our team traditions this year. Some of these include different activities we’ll do together at someone’s house or having a dance party in the locker room before a meet. We have not done any of these this season because we put the safety of the team first. Another thing covid has impacted is how our meets operate. Traditionally, the meets are one large meet that operate girls & boys, jv & varsity all at once. This year, in order to limit the amount of people on deck, we split the meet, having two sessions (either girls then boys, or jv then varsity). The team has been taking many precautions to avoid a shut down. We have three different practice groups (two swim groups and diving) in order to limit the amount of people in the pool area at a time. In addition, we wear our masks to the edge of the pool where we’ll put them in a plastic bag to keep them dry. As soon as we get out of the water, we put our masks back on. We also maintain social distancing and avoid using the locker rooms.

How has the swim team dealt with the adversity of a season unlike any other?

In times like these it can be hard to stay positive. Our team has continued to stay positive and adaptable. Because it’s my last season, it’s sad knowing that we’ve lost many of our team traditions this year, but it’s better than not having a season at all.

What do you look forward to in your senior season?

For the rest of the season, I’m excited to continue improving and watching my teammates improve, as well. We’re looking strong and have seen some really fast racing. As a senior, I couldn’t be prouder of how the team has remained adaptable to the difficult times we’re in right now.