Varsity swimming dives into a new season
Sara Javerbaum, Staff Writer
After a year of construction, Samo was finally able to open its brand new “Drake pool.” After a year of COVID-19 restrictions limiting the swim team’s practice, varsity captain Brandon Wu (’22) was more than happy for the reopening of full-time practice this year.
“Last year, a lot of people chose to opt out for safety reasons and now, since we have this new outdoor pool, it’s just really nice. We get quite a lot of new swimmers, a lot of new faces and it’s just going to be a really fun season,” Wu said.
Varsity coach Matthew Flanders is excited for future meets, finding them to be the time when teammates bond the most. Considering how swimming is mostly an individual sport, Flanders also has noticed that the teammate’s greuling morning practices bring them together; while many of their peers are still sleeping, the swimmers work hard for one joint cause, winning.
Coach Flanders also reflected on how COVID-19 has impacted his team and discussed how the swim team has to pay to practice at the Santa Monica Swim Center. Regardless of this, his team broke many team records last year and Flanders feels confident that his team can succeed this season.
“Expectations are always to win League and to qualify as many people for CIF as possible. I think we’re gonna do pretty well,” Flanders said.
Flanders praised his team for their hard work and preparation for the upcoming season. The girls and boys swim team start their season a bit later in the semester and have their first game on March 3 against Mira Costa.
Members of the Samo swim team race through the water as they test their new pool’s equipment.
