With swim season coming to a start, the swim and dive team is diving back into their swim season routines. Sophomore Dagan Kleffman looks forward to seeing his teammates improve this season. He says it brings them closer as a team.

“When I see my fellow divers getting better and throwing more advanced dives I feel like we are growing closer and having a better shot at this year’s meets,” Kleffman said.

Kleffman, a member of the dive team, explains how he got into the sport.

”I grew up always around water swimming and diving and wanted to be a swimmer, when I realized there were a lot of swimmers and hardly any divers I decided to give it a try,” Kleffman said.

Sophomore Hudson Clocks’ love for swimming came from a different inspiration.

”I was inspired by my brother who is a sophomore in college right now,” Clock said.”He started swimming. When he was in 4th grade. So that inspired me. I wanted to be like him,”

With Clock already having a year of experience under his belt he explains what the teams weekly routines are like.

“During the high school swim season, it’ll be every day of the week except Sunday, and then also every morning,”Clock said.”They’ll have a morning practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. So that counts up to, like, 11 practices a week,”

Coach Mike Cunningham says he focuses practice on technique and certain muscles to best help his athletes succeed.

“Well, we spend a lot of time focusing on stroke technique,” Cunningham said. “Every day, we do that. Every day, we work on the fastest part of swimming, which is underwater. And every day, we work on our legs a little bit. So we use our biggest muscles when we race.”

Although to Cunningham, coaching can be more than just teaching athletes to be better swimmers.

“I actually feel like I can help kids and help teach them how to be more than just swimmers, but be good people, be successful in life,” Cunningham said.

Practices can be hard but Clock says it’s better with support from the rest of the team.

“I’m definitely looking forward to something like the super early morning practices because it’s fun,” Clock said. “I know it’s painful, but it’s fun to suffer together in a group rather than alone.”

Other athletes like Sophomore Chetna Yadav are also looking forward to team bonding this season.

“I am really looking forward to some special meets, such as the East Central Relay Meet and Sectionals,” Yadav said. “I am also excited for all the team bonding activities we will be doing this season.”

Bonding is very important for the team. Clock says they want to be a team both in and out of the pool.

“We want to be a team, not just in the pool, but outside of the pool and the community as well,” Clock said.

Kleffman says one of his highlights of being on the team is the fans.

“The highlights would have to be when somebody hits a dive everybody shouts and claps in excitement,” Kleffman said.

Yadav enjoys being one of the cheering fans herself.

“Some highlights of being part of a team is cheering others on.” Yadav said. “It helps you feel connected and makes you happy when others achieve their goals. It gives you a sense of joy.”

Coach Cunningham is cheering on his team too with hopes to send several of his athletes to state.

“I’m hoping that everybody enjoys the season, that they all learn something, and that we send several relays and individuals to state on both the boys and girls teams,” Cunningham said.