As fall comes to a close, the Prep sports teams are working harder than ever in the struggle to make it to State and end the season on a good note. This year, the Prep girls swim team is counted among those teams that have their season in the fall.

In past years at Prep, girl’s swimming was combined with the boy’s season in the winter. However, their championship meets were still at the end of the fall, before their season even started. Seattle Prep was the only school that had it scheduled this way, and this year decided to change the organization. “It makes much more sense now,” says Anna Fotheringham ’16, “We are missing all the girls that we lost to Cross Country, but the season is a better length now and coincides with the important meets.”

Along with being much more prepared to do well at Metros, Districts, and State, the girls are finding other benefits to having their season in the fall. Helen Johnson ’16 joined the team this year, after doing crew every year since 7th grade. “The change from coed to just girls has created a much closer bond between us all. In all my years of doing crew or middle school sports I have never felt as welcomed or accepted as I was when I joined the swim team,” says Johnson.

This bond between the 20 girls on the team has made the season more enjoyable and more rewarding. Even with only one senior, the swim team has done well this year, having lost only two meets and recently beating Ingraham by a significant margin. The whole team swam in the Metro meet last week individually and three relays in each event competed. Emma Kelly ’16, Baily Aggen ’16, Izzy Bowman ’17, Michelle Asmar ’18, Cameron Smith ’17, Isabella Wagner ’18, Chelsea Villanueva ’16, Ellie Giesa ‘16, and Elizabeth James ‘16 made it to the District meet today and tomorrow. Districts is at Mary Wayte pool on Mercer Island. Almost half of the team will swim in Districts.

This far, four people have made it to State: Cameron Smith ‘17, Emma Kelly ‘16, Bailey Aggen ‘16, and Izzy Bowman ‘17. State is on November 14th and 15th at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. These four girls will swim in the 200 free relay and Smith will also swim in the 200 free and 500 free where she is expected to place. The free relay made it to state at Metro by 4/10ths of a second.

Head coach, Leslie Lorenz and assistant coach, Skye McConnell, have been there for the girls the entire season. Both coaches are Prep alumni. Leslie Lorenz graduated in 1997. She swam in nationals when she was in high school. Emma Kelly ‘16, says they were both “very supportive and helped the team succeed.”

Faster and closer than ever, Prep girls swim team has had a fun and competitive season.

 UPDATE: At the State Swimming Championships, Sophomore Cameron Smith repeated as the state champion in the 500M freestyle.