One loss in 13 meets, two team records re-written, seven state qualifiers and a second place finish at conference have all helped define the girls’ swim team this season. Their only loss on the year was against Parkway West. According to Elizabeth Klippel, senior captain, their hard work at practice has contributes to their multiple wins.

As a captain of a winning team, Klippel works hard not only to improve her swimming, but also to help the team improve, according to Mary Kate Hoerr, senior. The captains take responsibility over the team, Hoerr said.

“[The captains] keep us organized and keep track of the 30-plus girls we have on the team,” Hoerr said. “They were able to arrange team clothes for us, and we have way more team bonding than we have had in past years.”

The swim team also gained Matt Beasley, a new coach, making the coaching staff three instead of two. According to Beasley, the girls work hard and are easy to coach which helps them all improve quicker.

“Having one more coach allows for more individual one-on-one attention,” Klippel said. “That extra attention helps us get better with the strokes and get faster, so we have won a lot.”

According to Hoerr, the 15 new swimmers this season have added to the team’s multiple successes.

“We have a lot of new freshmen who have been swimming way before they got to high school,” Hoerr said. “They are more advanced and experienced than freshmen who are new to the sport, and that really helps our team.”

Klippel and Hoerr agree the biggest reason for the success is the girls themselves. According to Klippel, the relationships the girls built together have pushed each swimmer to be better.

“When one person does well, it pushed the rest of us to do well,” Kippel said. “It’s a trickle-down effect where we all strive to do better for each other.”