|
|
|
|
|
|
Volume CXVIII, No. XXIII |
December 8, 2005 |
Pool of young talent optimistic about future
17 first-years provide CSB swim team with valuable depth
Staff writer
The St. Ben's swimming and diving team is full of fresh faces.
This year, the team gained 17 new first-years from all over the country, including Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and as far away as Colorado, Texas and Washington.
Having only one senior and two juniors, underclassmen make up the majority of the team.
"The first-years are by far the most free spirited group of girls the team has seen in a long time," said coach Kathy Walker, who is in her second year as head coach of the Blazers.
Thus, this season's sophomores and first-years are swimmers and divers that she brought to the team.
When Walker is recruiting, she doesn't look for talent but for individuals that have a great personality, are team oriented and can work hard.
"It is possible to take a great person and make them fast, but you cannot make a fast person great," Walker said.
The transition from swimming on a high school team to swimming on a college team was smooth for the majority of the first-years.
"The upperclassmen on the team have made the transition to college swimming very easy and have been very welcoming," first-year Tessa Berens said. "One difference many of the first-years found was that the team is very hardworking and motivated."
"The girls on the team are all amazing, fun to be around, dedicated to swimming and always willing to help a fellow swimmer in need of some support," said Lindsay Pagard, a first-year from Mill Creek, Wash.
Kaelly Simpson, a sophomore from Plano, Texas has been swimming since she was 7 years old.
Simpson's ultimate goal this season is to qualify for the NCAA meet in the breaststroke or the individual medley.
Last year, St. Ben's placed fifth in the MIAC, and are hoping to take down fourth-place Macalester this year.
"The team is building for next year," Walker said. "Next year the team will be the team that everyone has their eyes on."
Last weekend the team placed fourth after only competing on Saturday of a Friday-Saturday competition.
Walker didn't want to pull the swimmers from class on Friday so late in semester.
The athletes will continue to fine tune their skills during their training trip to the Florida Keys from Dec. 27 to Jan. 7.
The team's next meet will be at St. John's pool at 1 p.m. Friday against St. Thomas at Collegeville.
