Nothing wakes you up quite like diving into a cold pool on a cold morning, which is a daily occurrence for the talented athletes of the LEE varsity swim team.
This morning five swimmers from LEE competed in the regional swim meet at the Bill Walker Pool, part of the Blossom Athletic Center, where sophomore Maren Romine broke LEE’s school record for the 50-meter freestyle, with a time of 24.46 seconds. The previous record was set in 1998 by Cristina Pikla. Prior to the meet this morning Romine said; “I didn’t exactly do what I was expecting out of district, but we’re here and I’m expecting to crush it today. I’ve been swimming competitively since I as three, and I absolutely love it.”
Other swimmers competing included sophomores Elizabeth Zadel and Mary Palmisano, and seniors Erin DeHart and Alyssa Bravo. Each swimmer expressed their excitement to be competing at the regional level amid new regulations which made this season’s competition even fiercer than normal. “The swimming association had to cut down the number of people who could advance from district to regionals and from regionals to state, so only the top four in each event moved on,” said DeHart. “So this is a really good feeling.”
Later in the meet the girl’s 200-meter freestyle relay team, featuring Romine, Palmisano, DeHart, and Zadel, broke yet another school record, previously set in 1997, with a total time of 1 minute and 43.47 seconds.
Coach Matthew Majors expressed pride over how well his team performed in today’s meet. “I’m so proud of what these girls have accomplished, they have overcome obstacles this season and have really stuck together,” Majors said. “They are a great group to work with.”
The single member of the boy’s varsity team to advance to regionals, diver Jett Ragnar (11), will compete on Friday, Feb. 5.
