Swim team hopes for a successful season

SWIMMING is something that is enjoyed by all ages. However, when most Lancers think of swimming, they don’t think of lane lines, sprints, the butterfly, and the medley. They tend to think of splashing around in water. In contrast, the swim team students think of hard work and dedication.

These students swim hundreds of yards daily. They practice diving off on a block into the water. They attempt to beat their times and win their heats. They swim as fast as they can, even when it feels like their lungs are burning. It takes time and dedication, and these students are doing it.

Swimming doesn’t have games, but has meets. Swim meets are made up of different events that the swimmers swim. “Meets are the best thing about swimming for me,” Luis Medellin (12) said. He is the Captain of the boys team, and he loves how fast-paced and energized he gets during the meets.

“I listen to my music, and I get amped up and ready to win,” Medellin said. He believes that athletes have to get prepared mentally as well as physically in order to perform well in events. He thinks that if someone believes they can do something, they will.

“We are a family and can always trust that our team will be there when we need them,” Jayde Holloway-Brown (12) said. A good team is a family. The swim team does all sorts of activities together. They go hiking and do monthly activities outside of the pool to help build the team together. He feels like these outings are necessary to build relationships with the team.  Holloway-Brown feels that it’s easier to talk away from the pool instead of between rests at practice.

“I love how Mary coaches, and she’s honestly a second mother to me,” Holloway-Brown said. He spends a lot of time at the pool. Sometimes between swim and work, he is at swim more than he is at home. “I love how I can talk to Mary and get advice on things I am struggling with,” said Holloway-Brown. He says even though he hates practices, his team and coaches make him love the sport even more than he loves competing.

Right now, in the middle of their season, the team is having a great time. They also will be competing in the Thanksgiving invitational. This meet is a bunch of high schools throughout Utah that get together for a two-day meet.  “I am so excited for the invitational, this is Granger’s third year being invited,” Holloway-Brown said. Holloway-Brown feels that Granger is going to make a statement at this meet. “We are gonna bring it this year,” he said.

Swim may not be as exciting to watch as football, but it is very entertaining. The team loves the support of Lancers. However, most lancers don’t come to support these students. The team usually has meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check the calendar, find a meet, and go see these Lancers swim faster than mermaids. They are going to have an amazing year.