With only one loss on the girls side so far and a new head coach this season, the SHS swim team is hoping for a momentous County Meet this weekend on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 at the IUPUI Natatorium. As the pressure rises for the team, both teammates and head coach Tricia Mangila try to make the best out of high-stress meets and remind themselves to have fun.
“If you believe in yourself and you believe that you can do all these things, then you can do it,” Mangila said. “Everything else doesn’t matter.”
Throughout this season Mangila has made it a priority to push her swimmers to the best of their ability and build up their technique. With better technique, she hopes that they will hit new personal best times. This strategy has already proved itself, and many swimmers are already close to meeting their sectional times from last year.
Mangila has also found it important to do aerobic recovery days and maintenance days to work on technique throughout the season and help her swimmers prepare for County. The swimmers appreciate these types of practices as well as the motivation she gives them.
“I’m just having way more fun this year,” junior Noah Diallo said. “And she really values us as people.”
Although practice can help ease the nerves of major meets like these, it is still easy for some swimmers to let their nervousness get to them. More experienced swimmers like junior Karlie Dodd like to remind newer members of the team to just go out there and try their best.
“I’m excited to see the younger kids do well, and I’m excited for them to have their first big meet,” Dodd said. “They’re gonna be a little scared, but eventually they will go out there and do it.”
As the team walks into the Natatorium, Mangila already has her goals in mind for the team. Whether they are best times or finishing places, she knows what they can accomplish and hopes they push for that.
“Overall, I do expect greatness out of the team,” Mangila said. “They’ve been working hard.”
Swimmers like Diallo and Dodd have their own personal goals, but one that the team has in common is the hope to drop time.
Even though they all hope for a victory, members of the team understand that winning isn’t the most important thing and that believing in themselves and the work they’ve put in is.
“If they know they can do all this stuff, then they’re able to achieve it,” Mangila said.