Poly swimming and diving has had a productive and successful start to the season. On the girls’ side, the Panthers have a 4-3 record in league and a 1-0 record in non-league meets. The boys swim team is undefeated in all of their dual meets, earning them an impressive 4-0 record in league and 6-0 record overall.
High school swim is unique in that it is both an individual and collective endeavor. Swimmers compete individually in up to 4 events and earn points for their team based on their placement in those events. This scoring system fosters a team dynamic centered around unity and spirit, one in which the team can only be as successful as its slowest member.
It is perhaps because of this framework that the Poly swim program has such a fantastic team dynamic. Senior Roy Otamura described the team dynamic, stating, T, stating, “There is fantastic team chemistry and a focus on fun while also maintaining competitiveness.” While the team has experienced success in the pool, senior and captain Maddie Hays commented, “I am most “I’m proud of the role the swim team has played in forming new friendships among the team.” Newcomers have also noticed the unique closeness of the swim team. Senior and first year swimmer Willow Breen said, “I’m grateful that the flexibility of Poly sports allowed meme to join the swim community despite having never competed in the sport before.”
As the teams headed into the league championship meet, the swimmers began the process of tapering, which involves shorter swim sets and increased rest. When contrasted with the grueling work that the swimmers completed throughout the season, the taper was a much needed period of recovery before the final meet leading into CIF.
The preparation was definitely necessary. While the team’s form is indeed impressive, it has little bearing on the teams’ ultimate goals. Yet another defining characteristic of swim is that the only success that matters is your success in the final meet, so the team with the best record going into the final weekend will not necessarily be the team that wins the league championship.
At the Prep League finals on April 20, the boys team won first place overall, beating Flintridge Prep to clinch their fourth straight Prep league Championship. The girls team also dominated, getting third place overall.
Senior Patrick Seo commented, “We knew going into it that we were going to win, so we were pretty confident. It was nice to see Roy and Bobby do really well. The freshmen did really well, so I am excited to see their future.”
Senior Kamryn Chan reflected, “I think we held our own, especially for competing against tougher opponents with more swimmers. We had a lot of strong races, and I’m excited to see that success carry on to CIF.”
