When it comes to a successful sports season, there is a lot of practice that needs to be done and goals to be set. Last season the Rockets achieved bringing five swimmers to states. These qualifiers included Nicholas Garbinski (12), Annalise Hissong (11), Rachel Kimmel (12), Sarah Kimmel (10), and Annabelle McCullough (12). This year the team hopes to do bigger and better things.

“The team goal for the season is to win 50% of dual meets.” MCcullough said. “Also to fill every event with swimmers.”

Last season the team had a total of 22 swimmers. This year, however, there have been more swimmers already attending pre-season workouts than the total combined swimmers that ended the season last year.

“This is my first year on the swim team” said Alyssa Young (9). “My goal for this year is to improve on my strokes.

During practice, the swimmers work on skills and technique to perfect their strokes. This include starts, flip turns, and streamlines. At the beginning of each race, the swimmer has to dive off the blocks. This is known as a start. The point of practicing these are to get off the starting blocks as fast as possible. Flip turns are when the swimmer reverses the direction in they are swimming. Streamlines, when the swimmer positions their body into a straight line, this is practiced to make the swimmer be more efficient in their stroke.

The team is led by a great group of seniors and captains. Voted on last Friday, Samantha Mills (12), Annabelle McCullough (12) were named the captains.  Other seniors on the team include Nick Garbinski (12), Rachel Kimmel (12), Austin Sheppard (12), and William Sims (12).

“I see lots of potential this year.” Kimmel (12)  said. “We practice for two hours everyday making sure everything is perfected.”

Kimmel this year attained a big dream of her own. Kimmel accepted a full scholarship to swim for a Division 1 college at St. Bonaventure University. She signed the National Letter of Intent (NLI) on Nov. 9 agreeing to swim with St. Bonaventure.

With the swim team working on skills and techniques, they are getting ready to accomplish bigger and better things.