By Owen Alter
The Delavan-Darien High School boys’ swim team has only five members and no coach, even though the team has been searching for a coach since the beginning of July. This is an important issue, as the people already on the boys’ swim team hope to have a season this winter. Currently, there are enough members to have a team, but more swimmers would be ideal.
After talking to others on the swim team, sophomore Zack Schroeder commented, “The pasta dinners always make my day,” and “My teammates pushed me to work hard to achieve my goals.” As you can see, swimming can offer both fun and support if you give it a chance. Students should join swimming to help them get in better shape, gain personal achievements, and have fun.
Getting in better shape is self-explanatory: the more you swim, the better shape you get in. According to U.S. Masters Swimming (a non-profit that helps people improve their lives through swimming), swimming improves your cardiovascular system, reduces your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and enhances circulation. If you also participate in a spring sport, being on the swim team during the winter can help keep you in shape for the spring sports season.
Achievements are earned when you beat people in your race or achieve a personal best. This can feel rewarding as you see that you’re getting better and better over time as you participate in more races and meets. Each race represents a different type of swimming and has various lengths. This includes the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, and many more. The numbers indicate how many laps you swim in that race. One lap is one length of the pool, and each 25 is one lap, so a 50 is two laps, a 100 is four laps, etc. Depending on the race, you compete against 1-7 people from various schools, and the goal is to swim faster than they do.
Finally, swimming is fun, even if you don’t enjoy pools or beaches. The community built by the swim team guarantees students an incredible experience filled with heartwarming memories. There are also fun practices where you can play games in the water and enjoy your time with the team. It is a very supportive team and a rewarding experience.
If you are interested in learning more about the team, visit the athletic director’s office and ask about the boys’ swim team. Maybe swimming is the one activity or sport you’ve been searching for, and who knows, you could even be the next Michael Phelps!
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