Those passing by the Klahanie Mountainview Pool may have noticed that Skyline’s Girls’ Swim and Dive Team has already started training.

School hasn’t even started yet, so what are these girls training so hard for? I decided to find out firsthand from dive captain Kelsey Kosenkranius and swim captains Becky Nevin and Katelyn Smrecansky.

Initially, I wanted to know how the team would deal with the absence of their former senior generation. The common consensus was that the team would be just as strong this season, if not stronger. Nevin followed suit, saying, “the seniors may have left last year, but there is an equally (if not stronger) group of freshmen girls coming in”.

Three other key factors point towards an excellent Girls’ Swim and Dive season.

First, team spirit is at an all new high. Smrecansky’s exclaimed “team bonding to the maximum! It’s going to make a big difference in how we act towards each other at school and during meets too”. Weekly pasta feeds, team breakfasts, and secret pal gifts are already staple bonding activities. Nevin revealed that this season, team bonding could further skyrocket with talks of a team sleepover and perhaps even a dinner out.

Secondly, the addition of a new personal trainer to Girls’ Swim and Dive staff could well mean taking the dry land training that traditionally accompanies swimming workouts to a whole new level.

Lastly, Girls’ Swim and Dive has extremely strong depth this season, a factor that may well decide whether or not they will prevail against their toughest rivals. With a total of 60 athletes, consisting of a core of veteran swimmers rounded off by strong underclassmen, Skyline’s swim team is a force to be reckoned with. Kosenkranius also revealed good prospects in the diving department, which now boasts three new divers.

But arguably better than the team is the environment the group swims in. Smrecansky remarks “The fan support is awesome at the meets. Parents and siblings always come, even boyfriends too!”.

And such a high hits even greater levels when the team swims against Skyline’s nature rival, Issaquah. Although Issaquah has defeated Skyline in the past, Nevin and Smrecansky showed confidence that Skyline’s balance of both new and experienced athletes will carry the day this year.

Another event you won’t want to miss out on is the meet against Eastlake, an already strong team who recently added Olympic Trials swimmer Katie Kinnear to its roster.

Last but not least, a Boys’ Swim and Dive versus Girls’ Swim and Dive event is in the talks. Nevin even went on to say that “This year (tentatively), there will be a boys versus girls swim meet, during which the girls will crush the boys. The whole school should come and witness the destruction. It will be fun!”.

Whether or not such annihilation will occur, this meet could easily become one of the most spectacular events in the histories of both teams if finalized.

Amidst such high hopes and strong prospects, this year’s Skyline Girls’ Swim and Dive is well on its way to forging its most memorable season yet.