Swim team faces Findlay Friday

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This preseason the swim team dedicated their time to becoming faster and stronger.

Upon finishing sixth in the GLIAC championship meet last year, the smaller team is looking to focus individually, to ensure that each girl is swimming to her best ability to achieve a GLIAC title this year. The first step in a season long conquest of the GLIAC title begins this Friday at 6 p.m. at the University of Findlay.

“Our team is smaller, but we are really focused more on getting stronger and swimming everyday like it’s a race. We have been pushing really hard this past offseason,” senior captain Ali Bauer said.

Last weekend, the team had its annual Blue and White intrasquad meet which was a great predictor for how the season will unfold.

“It’s hard to say this early in the season, but the way everyone looked and felt is really positive,” sophomore freestyler Whitley Sowell said.  “The emphasis on team is great, and I’m excited to see how we grow and improve as the season moves along. Everyone is working on swimming to compete with the girl next to her rather than just swimming to get through the race.”

Upon arriving back at campus early August, the Chargers have been working diligently on technique and improving race-simulation by vamping up the intensity at practice.

“Beating the girl next to you” is one of the central themes the Hillsdale’s swim team is focusing on this season, as well as improving their already impressive academic goals. Earning Scholar All-American last year, the teams’ work ethic in the pool reflects in their studies as well with a 3.2 average team GPA.

Although the team is small this year, having graduated six seniors last spring and only introducing two freshman to this team this fall, the 17-member team is just as  much of a contender in the GLIAC as the other teams. The size of the team doesn’t matter as much in the conference meet, because in the races that they are able to score points in, coming out on top is what will allow them to bring home a title.

“Swimming is such a mental game,” junior backstroker and freestyler Alissa Jones said, “Each one of us has to be on our A-game going into meets because how you swim individually is going to greatly impact a small team. Doing your job individually is going to help your team the most, especially in relays.”

The team is packed with talent, but Bauer said their hard work ethic is their secret weapon.

“The opportunity the season brings is what I’m most excited about. Being stronger, better, and faster, is what we are all reaching for,” Bauer said. “Talent is only going to get a team so far, but hard work will be what brings success and I think our work is going to be reflected this season.”