The girls swim team is welcoming their new members while preparing for their upcoming season.

Practices have already begun, and the team has five new freshmen joining them.
Four-year member Maria Regas said it’s important for everyone to meet their new teammates. She said, “We all have a group chat and are in the process of making locker signs, so we get to know a little bit about everyone while making those.”

This upcoming week is the team’s annual sleepover as well.

Gianna Ferrante will be hosting the first sleepover of the year. It’ll be used to help the girls bond with each other and learn more about one another before the season is in full swing.

According to Regas, after the first few weeks, everyone grows as one team, and the new girls joining are beneficial, especially when it comes to big meets like sectionals.

Senior and four-year member of the team Gianna Ferrante is looking forward to being a leader on the team, as well as for the new teammates.

Ferrante said, “The main focus [for building stronger relationships] is making them feel as welcome as possible. Even though most of them aren’t in the same lanes as we are, we still want to encourage them as much as we can during practices.”

Among the seniors, Regas said everyone tries their best to make the new members comfortable, and they also stress the importance of being a team.

The entire team plays a role in welcoming oncoming swimmers, but Regas believes the sophomores are more helpful because they are closer in age and may know the freshmen better than the upperclassmen.

Regas said, “I would say we are a close team, so we have a close-knit community, and when someone comes in that we don’t really know, it takes a while to get to know everybody.”

According to the team’s head coach Rick Balcam, he said, “It can be difficult at times when a lot of new members join the team at once, but it is also helpful in creating a bigger, stronger team.”

Senior Karen Argie is also hoping to become a stronger team leader this year.

Argie said, “The biggest aspect we’re going to stress this year is positivity. We spend so much time together in the pool, in the weight room, and during the season, that if we all become negative, then you’re just not as close.”

Regas, Ferrante, and Argie all expressed the importance of positivity, stating it as their main contribution to the team.

According to Ferrante, negativity in new members can bring down the team more than their athletic talent.

Argie said, “The greatest challenge [when starting a new season] is definitely getting into the right mindset because swimming is such a mental sport. You need to get your bearings, set goals for the season, and just be positive.”

 

Maria Regas Player Profile
Nickname: Mar Mar
Looking forward to: WRC, Sectionals,& growing as a team
Contributed to the team: Positivity & motherhood
Record prediction: Undefeated
New skill: Leadership
Dream job: Forensic investigator

Karen Argie’s Player Profile

Nickname: The Bad Mom

Looking forward to: WRC & reaching individual goals

Contributed to the team: Positivity & comic relief

Record prediction: Undefeated

New skill: Leadership & togetherness

Dream job: Mechanical Engineer

 

Gianna Ferrante player profile

Nickname: Gigibeans

Looking forward to: Having an amazing season with friends and being a team leader

Contributed to the team: Positivity & leadership

Record prediction: Undefeated

New skill: Leadership & togetherness

Dream job: Engineer