Being a senior gives you a sense of growing up, and on Thursday, Jan. 21, the varsity boys swim team gathered for their final race against the Munster Mustangs. Senior night gave the boys fire, causing the team to give nothing but their best effort. The final result was a loss against the Mustangs with a final score of 100-85. Even though the boys didn’t end their senior year or season with a win, they did end it with many memories.
“[When] you’ve worked four years for your senior year and swimming day in and day out, waking up at four a.m., trying your hardest, [you learn what dedication means]. It’s all about dedication in this sport, and really showing it in your senior year is really what being a senior means,” Alexander Bielawski (12) said.
While many have learned the valuable lesson of dedication from the sport, others absorbed different skills.
“Senior year has affected me in a way that I would have never thought. It [has given] me good public speaking skills. [Last year,] I looked around and could see a lot of people that [were] stepping up who weren’t stepping up last year, including myself. [This includes] swimmers like Ryan Kilinski (11), Ivano Garza (12) [and] especially Kyle Massa (12) too,” Logan Nippert (12) said.
Showing leadership is always important, especially if you are a senior. Some find themselves stressed with the constant pressure of being the oldest on the team, while some are not affected by it at all.
“Being a senior hasn’t really affected my diving. [However,] I’m not quite at the point that I’d hoped I’d be. I’m definitely happy with my performance, and I’m definitely a lot less stressed. Junior year everything had to be perfect, [but] this year I’m just enjoying it,” Alexander Morgan (12) said.
By senior year, most sports have become routine for the senior members. However, even in their last year, the swimmers face unexpected challenges.
“My senior year has been different than other years because I’ve put a lot more work in, a lot more to be a leader. By practicing harder, performing better, showing people what I can do, working with my teammates and striving to be the best, [I feel I have been through many obstacles],” Brandon Walton (12) said.
