Swim team’s hard work and discipline leads toward success
Teresa Prince
It’s 5:30 AM, and while most girls are sleeping
soundly in their warm beds, a certain twenty-one girls are suited up and poised
to dive into Montclair pool for an hour and half practice. These girls are the Crusader swimmers. They practice ten times each week; mornings,
afternoons, and Saturdays. The five divers also practice diligently throughout
the week.
Why do swimmers work so
hard? No other high school sports
compete in two-a-day practices all season.
Is it because unlike most sports, their joints aren’t overstressed in
the water? Is it because the chlorine
has gone to their brains and done serious damage? Or is it because they’ve all become addicted the endorphin rush
that accompanies a 5,000m (three mile) swim?
Whatever the reason their
hard work pays off. In the past Marian
Swimming and Diving has earned 8 state championships. They’ve been undefeated in the last four? Seasons. In fact Marian swimmers hold the state
records in 5 of the 11 swimming events.
Last year at State Marian swimmers received gold medals in 7 out of 11
events.
This year is equally
successful. The team is once again
undefeated and dominated the Metros competition held Feb 12-14 On Feb 12 the
divers competed and claimed first and fifth place thanks to seniors Maggie
Rezac and Jill Smolcyz.
Feb. 13 was Metro
prelims. Marian girls set seven new
records, most of them breaking their own records from last year. On Feb 14 finals were held and Marian
dominated. Sophomore Karen Criss was
champion in the 200ys Individual Medley and the 100yd backstroke. Junior Erin Holtmeyer swam state-leading
times in the 50yd and 100yd freestyle.
Sophomore Jen Koscis was named most 
valuable female swimmer for her record breaking swims
in the 200yd and 500yd freestyle.
Swimmers often joke that
their season becomes a four-month mantra of swim-eat-sleep-swim-eat-etc. This isn’t completely true, of course. They also have school and a semblance of a
social life.
For the swimmers Monday
morning means getting to Marian at 6:00 for dry land. Dry land consists of stretching and sit-ups with assistant coach,
Steph Padrone. Then they break up in
groups or lifting with Ed Dudley and medicine ball exercises with head coach,
Pat Dibaise. Afterwards it’s a cold breakfast and a day of school. As soon as the bell rings it’s time to drive
nine miles to Montclair pool for a 2 hour and 15 minute practice. These practices range in intensity for the
different swimmers but are usually around 4,000m. That’s 80 laps back and forth, or two and half miles. At 6:00 it’s time to shower, change, and
head to the team pasta dinner.
Tuesday and Thursday
mornings dawn cold and even earlier as the swimmers are expected to be in the
pool, warming up at 5:30. Although that
seems early the girls can’t whine to coach DiBaise, who opens the pool at 3:30
and swims his own two-hour practice before coaching the girls.