It’s an upstream battle for the boys on the Highland Swim team. Not because there is a lack of talent on the team, but because there is a lack of numbers. Although Highland boasts some strong swimmers, it is hard for the men’s team to emerge victorious because they don’t have enough swimmers to compete. Highland has 9 boys competing for the team, where as other teams have double or even triple that amount.
Because of the way swimming is scored, it’s vital to have a similar number of swimmers on each team to have a somewhat competitive contest. There is a certain number of points awarded to where each swimmer finishes in a race. The most points going to first place, then second place and so on and so forth. Highland’s short staffed team essentially requires that each of the boys finish first in order to have a chance in the final scoring of some meets. The problem is that some races are run with no Highland boys at all, just because Highland doesn’t have enough swimmers to fill the heats, so the other team is receiving all the points no matter how well the other swimmers do.
“We just don’t have enough boys to win compared to other teams, the more boys you have the greater chance you have to win.” Said Highland sophomore swimmer Mason Wallis.
“It’s not necessarily hard for us to win, more to say that’s its physically impossible sometimes.” Said Highland senior captain Ethan Wallis.
With teams like Skyline, Olympus, and Brighton on the schedule, it’s a high bar for the Rams to meet to win. Not only do those teams have healthily large squads, but they are filled with fantastic swimmers.
“For a lot of teams it is quantity over quality.” Highland junior James Fulger said, “We have some quality swimmers, but the fact that we can barely fill all of our races… sometimes it’s easy to just get beat out.”
Although the physical aspect of swimming is a grueling part of the sport, the mental side of things can also be a friend or foe to swimmers, especially at Highland.
“Of course there is still a drive to compete.” Said Highland sophomore Matthew Bullen, “Just because it seems like it might be hard… you have to do your best.”
Although, this is where the true competition of swim presents itself. That is because even though swimming is classified as a team sport, it is really more of an individual contest. Meaning that even if swimmers are in heats against rival schools, they’re really just swimming against themselves. That is why a big goal for the first year Coach Sydney Havell is to help each kid accomplish their own personal goals.
“I really just want to get to know the swimmers.” Havell said, “I want to get to know each individual swimmers goals, and the best way for them to try and accomplish them.”
Even though this season might be difficult for the Highland’s swimming boys, they are refusing to go down without a fight in each and every meet. The unanimous message they send to each boy at Highland is “Join Swim!”
