The Hastings High swim team had a very successful year. After working hard at state swimming this weekend, the girls landed in thirteenth place and the boys earned fifteenth place. This was the first time the swim team has made it to the championship finals in many years.
Swimmers competed in many events this year including the 200 medley relay, 50 free(style), 100 free(style) and 200 free(style) relay.
Members of the team have spent a variety of different years swimming, starting from around five years old to joining the swim team freshman year of high school.
The boys and girls teams both won conference this year, which was on February 15.
“It was the first time the girls had won in about 20 years so that was a really big achievement for us. It really gave me a high holding that trophy knowing that everybody had worked so hard and we won by two points,” junior Diana Brailita said.
The boys also won the Lincoln High Invite meet this year which was considered a very big accomplishment.
“My favorite memory this year was when the boys won the Lincoln High Invite which is one of the biggest meets that we go to and it was a big confidence boost to the whole team,” junior Jay Ceperley said.
Many highs were made this year. Senior Taylor Quig broke the 24-second mark in the 50 freestyle. Brailita broke her 100 back record at conference. Junior Jarrett Oschner got a new personal record in every event this season.
“State is different because there is much more pressure put onto the swimmers, the atmosphere is intense, the crowd is much, bigger, louder and crazier than regular meets, and we swim against schools that we normally don’t swim against all that often such as Creighton Prep as well as everyone is at their peak and very fast,” Quig said.
Along with a different atmosphere, swimming also comes with a lot of highs, “My favorite part of swimming is the bonds that it creates. I have so many close friends that I’ve made from this sport and I will miss all of them when they leave or when I leave,” Brailita said.
Although, as with highs, every sport comes with lows. “My least favorite part of swimming is the preconceptions that people have about the sport like that you don’t have to work hard to be good at the sport. Swimming is a sport that you have to dedicate almost all your time and energy into,” Ceperley said.
Hastings swimmers are already setting goals for next year.
“I want to get an automatic auto qualifying time,” Oschner said. Quig also is planning to continue his swimming career in college.
Many memories were made this year but a group favorite was Ceperely’s hair change.
“Jay Ceperley shaved his head for state. That was my favorite memory from this season,” Quig said.
