Swimming Success

Patriot boys swim team starts season 6-0.

The Parkway South swim and dive team has sunk six straight opponents in dual meets with a 119-61 win over Oakville on Sept. 17. This can be attributed to how much the team has improved as a whole.

“The team has improved a lot this year. Our 6-0 start wouldn’t be possible without our returning seniors,” said Coach Jeremy Nichols.

In any sport it is always a luxury to have a strong returning class. Historically more experienced rosters correlate to more wins and it’s a very special thing to have a lot of guys who know what they are doing to help the underclassman take their place in the next few years.

“I attribute our early success to the work ethic of everyone on the team day in and day out,” said Ryan Hilgendorf, senior.

To practice every day with the same guys who all have positive energy makes everyone else better because when a team is together everyone feeds off of each other’s energy, according to Nichols.  

“I believe that this team can win conference and finish top 10 in the state,” said Nichols.

A confident coach who knows the team is a great way to lead a team deep into the playoffs of any sport and is a recipe for success, said senior Ryan Weis.

“I think this team is built for this year and years to come, with all the seniors and the emerging underclassmen I am very excited for the rest of the season,” said Weis.

With the seniors today and the good underclassmen this team has a lot of potential not just for this year but for the next few years as well, said Nichols. 

“I enjoy coaching because I like the idea of leading students and being a part of of something,” said Nichols.

One of the most important things is having a coach who cares and enjoys what he does, according to Hilgendorf.

“I hope to see some fans supporting our team and cheering for us deep into the playoffs,” said Hilgendorf.