The swimming and diving season officially starts December 1st, but most team members can’t wait for the season to start, and many have been swimming all fall to prepare. Why? The girls team had a fantastic season last year with a 13-0 meet record, winning DCLs, Sectionals, and States. Swimmers this upcoming season have big shoes to fill.

“One of the goals for the girls swim team is to go undefeated again and be in the hunt for another state title,” said senior Leah Jacques.

The boys team also has high goals for the season. “I think that as a team we have a chance to do some really incredible things this year,” said senior Andrew Becker.

Brendan Place, another senior, pointed out some key areas the boys swim team will be focusing on. “The three main goals for this team: to beat Weston, win the DCL meet, and win our state meet.”

The Weston boys swimming team lost eight key seniors, four of whom were All-Americans, a title given to the top 130 fastest high school swimmers in the nation. This increases the chances of Wayland boys beating them for the first time ever.

For both teams, however, winning these meets is not going to be easy. “The season is a week shorter this year, so we are going to have to jump in ready to go and work hard on December 1st,” said senior Katie Karlson.

According to Olivia Blahut, also a senior, “[Wayland swimming teams] graduated many important seniors in ’08” as well. Of the eleven seniors who graduated from the Wayland Swim and Dive Team last year, three were DCL All-Stars and two were All-Americans.

This fact does not diminish team members’ confidence. For both teams, the immense amount of senior leadership that will be present for this upcoming season is a huge benefit.

“Having older kids on the team is really beneficial for the younger swimmers because they will have people to look up to,” said Becker. “For the boys, since we have seven seniors on the team this year, we will be able to have a really mature and driven team.”

Blahut mentioned another advantage for the Wayland swimming teams. “We have enough versatile swimmers to form many different relay teams, which will bring in a lot of points during dual meets.”

While the rest of the school looks forward to the long two-week Christmas vacation, Wayland swimmers will be spending that time engaged in some of the most intense training of the season.

To some, the swimming teams may seem too driven and focused. However, according to some swimmers, the fun in between the hard training is what keeps them motivated throughout the season.

“It is fun being with the team again and meeting new swimmers,” said Jacques.

“Of course [the training] will be hard and at times painful, not to mention the brutal two weeks of December vacation, but having everyone together over the vacation is worth every minute of it,” said Karlson.

The team bonds outside of the pool as well. “Team dinners, sleepovers, and bowling are always things to look forward to,” said Blahut. “Even the long bus rides are fun because they give us some time to relax and just to be with everyone.”

Nonetheless, swimmers still say that the best parts of being on the swim teams are the meets.

“I can’t wait for those meets where it comes down to that last race, when my adrenaline is rushing, whether I am in the relay or not,” said Place. “I can’t wait to see my teammates step up and make their first state cut, or swim an amazing race and beat out their competition.”