Making Waves

Pushing yourself farther than you thought was possible, to swim just a little farther, a little faster. The 5A League and State Championships were about more than the medals, points, and podiums. For these swimmers the season became a story of growth, pressure, defining moments, and electric team energy united behind one another.

“Competing in the league was a very fun experience. It was a great opportunity for everyone to grow and bond as a team,” explained freshman Olivia Willaims.

Even though she swam many races, one race defined the meet, the 400 freestyle relay. The pressure was high, the energy was even higher, and the result was unforgettable.

“Me and my relay mates overcame the odds, won, and had a ton of fun behind the blocks!” exclaimed Williams.

She achieved her FUTURES (national level competition bridging between regional championships and national championships) cut in the 500 free, a goal she has chased all of her seasons, but also felt the emotion of seniors finishing their final high school meet.

“My state experience in one word would be bittersweet,” Williams noted.

Junior Grace Kingen approached the league with nerves but a team-first kind of mentality. She focused not only on her individual races but also on helping her team wherever she could. 

“I wanted to make sure that I helped the team with contributing as many points as I could,” proclaimed Kingen.

This mindset paid off when she earned best times in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke, making league finals for the first time. But like Olivia, her most memorable experience came from the final race of the meet. 

“We ended up winning the last race of the whole meet which secured our win!” exclaimed Kingen.

Sophomore Kiera Daly felt the incredible sense of pride and accomplishment of that victory as well. When the championship was announced the emotion was overwhelming.

“When the announcer said that RV won, everyone burst into cheers!” exclaimed Daly. 

Qualifying for state validated the long practice and hours in the pool.

Daly explained: “For me, qualifying for 5A state means that all the effort, all the practices, and all the hours in the pool paid off.”