The saying “stick with what works” is repeated throughout most, if not all sports. For women and men’s swimming, head coach Rick Balcam is taking a risk to change up the practices and season as a whole.

Rick Balcam has been coaching the Wildcats for 15 years now and came to the conclusion that it is time for change in his coaching strategies.

Not only is Balcam changing the strategies but he is switching up how practices are going to run each day.

Balcam said, “This year is going to be a little more sprint oriented. The whole team is sprinting not just a couple lanes at a time. This way everybody is being a team and working together as opposed to different groups.”

Senior Kevin Morgan has been swimming with Balcam for three years and has not experienced a change in Balcam’s coaching.

Morgan said, “I think that Rick has realized a change was needed. He is starting to focus on ways to get kids to State and improve scoring on the shorter events. The events I’m excited to see under this new training program are all three relays as well as the 50 and 100 free because those are the main sprinting events.”

Senior Karen Argie is also excited to see the change in this year’s practices.

Argie said, “I think that having the team practice in unison will be great for fostering togetherness. On the other hand, having the season be more sprint oriented will also help the team in my opinion because even if you swim the 500, all the relays are sprints, so it’s crucial to the experience it and get comfortable with sprinting.”

Balcam has plenty of reasons for why this is the best switch for his team.

Balcam said, “As a team I think we will be more united, everybody will be on the same page, communication will be greater and as well as making sure we are all working together towards a common goal to win sectional championships or districts and in the future states.”

Argie and Morgan think there are other benefits for this adjustment.

Argie said, “If the team can go into the season with a positive and open mindset, and work just as hard as we always do then I think the season will pay out to be the best it can.”

Morgan said, “I think that I’m going to benefit more from our practices this year that I have in the year’s past.”

Morgan feels that with change comes responsibility and the swimmers are willing to help Balcam pull the weight.

Morgan said, “A key to helping Rick hold this team up is just overall encouragement and support. Looking back to my first two years with the team I realize that supporting the new kids in the slower kids help so much. Without any type of drive and motivation swimming can start to seem impossible.”

Argie has the same perspective as Morgan when it comes to encouragement.

Argie said, “Positivity and unity have to start from the coaches and team leaders and I think that’s a key aspect for Rick to really keep out the stress for the season. If the team can go into the season with a positive and open mindset, and work just as hard as we always do then I think the season will pay out to be the best it can.”

With change comes risk but Balcam, Argie and Morgan are all trusting the process.

Balcam said, “Change is always scary but you also have to understand that everything changes, everything constantly evolves here at Mayfield.”

Morgan is putting all the trust into Balcam because he knows what he does always works for the team.

Morgan said, “I am actually not scared or nervous for this new program because being a sprinter myself I’m instead curious and excited to see if working on the overall speed in holding that speed will benefit my times and events.”

Argie agrees with Morgan. She said, “Change can be scary, and I personally have done well under Rick’s previous touring plans, but I’m not too nervous. I trust Rick to do what is best for a swimmers. If this will benefit the team, then I’m for it.”

The swimmers feel as if adapting to this innovation will not be difficult with Balcam by their sides.

Argie said, “Like I said, I trust Rick, so I think I’ll do just fine adapting to this new training program along with my other teammates. Even though I typically swim distance this could really help me and my best events the 200 and 100 which are definitely more sprint oriented.”

Balcam has an overall mindset that this year may be the best one yet.

Balcam said, “I think they are going to have a ton of fun as a team I think that once they learn the process of how it goes it will be a lot better and will come together.”