Swimming isn’t just laps back and forth, or swimming for fun as you do in the summer. For Parkway South girls, swimming and diving is a sport that comes with brutal training and discipline. Behind every good race is endless laps, controlled breathing, and sore muscles. “Getting hurt or feeling fatigued but pushing through and getting back in,” many of the girls say, is part of the process of hard training.

The team has set several goals for the season, including podium finishes at state, qualifying for individual events, and winning the quad meet. Senior captain Lexi Cook, one of the team’s captains, said, “One goal is winning the quad and getting people to qualify for state.” Blakeleigh Mathes, the head coach of the team, says, “Goals for the season are to make it onto the podium for state. We have a really strong group of girls who I believe in so much. We just need to stay healthy and stay focused!” 

For the girls, the payoff from a season of hard training is expected to be seen in big meets. Cook says, “I think for como or conference, I feel like that’s where you can kind of see all the hard work you’ve put in, and it makes it all really worth it”. Another dedicated swimmer, Emily Cichacki, hopes for time improvements, “hopefully after, like an invite or like a big meet,” as she is specifically focused on improving her butterfly, “because Elizabeth really wants me to push myself in that this year.”

Senior Captain, Leeya Bledsoe, is also looking forward to major meet improvements, “like the quad, or como, or like, meets where I have to suit up.” Bledsoe said she wants to improve  her times from last year, and hopes the team will make time improvements as well. She also hopes the team is able to continue to grow closer to each other, “I hope by the end of the season the team has grown its bond.”

The team has also grown a lot this year, with lots of new freshmen. “In the past, we haven’t had a big team, but this year we do, so I think having more people will make it a lot more fun,” says Cook. Cichacki shares the same hope of the freshmen making an impact, “Hopefully the freshman can achieve their goals and make an impact on our score.”

The divers have to practice at Parkway West due to the pool depth, but they are not forgotten. Freshman Leah Grither says, “It’s annoying to have to practice at West because we know the West team better than our own,” but she still feels confident in the team and hopes to improve herself by throwing more dives instead of backing out. Coach Blakeleigh says, “Isa and Leah are our freshman divers, and I want to shout them out because they have to deal with going to Parkway West every day, which is a lot…I have really enjoyed getting to know all of them, and I’m excited they’re on our team!”

With every team comes challenges, tough practices, and injuries. But the girls are confident the team will be able to push through it all. Cook states, “I feel pretty good, I feel like most people show up to work and not just have fun,” Cichacki adds, “I’m confident, because if we all get closer to each other, I think we can all do anything.”

With their discipline, work ethic, and accountability, the girls have a strong foundation for what’s to come this year. They are determined and aiming high, as they work to sharpen strokes, improve times, win the quad, learn new dives, podium at state, and so much more. The season isn’t just about back-and-forth laps; it’s about improving every day with intention for more.