Shalom Fadullon
The sets may be getting harder, and the sun may be heating up the pool deck, but the MC swim team is stepping up to meet the challenge. Encouraged by the longtime rivalry between Westview and MC, the stands were full as both the varsity and JV swimmers took their marks on March 25.
The home meet against Westview was a successful one, with MC taking the lead in a majority of the relays. MC parent, Linda Wutzbach, has a positive outlook for the rest of MC’s season.
“This will be my fifth year here because my oldest son graduated in 2014 and he was a swimmer,” Wurtzbach said. “The swim team at MC has always been strong.”
This meet determines much about the overall strength of the team, as Westview is ranked similarly with MC.
“Every year it’s either the boys or the girls [team] and there was one year that they were both CIF champions,’” Wutzbach said.
As a veteran volunteer for the MC swim team, Wutzbach sees strong potential for CIF champions in this season’s team.
“The girls are looking really strong this season, so if things continue I think they have a good chance at the CIF title,” Wutzbach said.
On the other side of the snack bar, swimmers gathered to enthusiastically talk and warm up before their events.
“I’m pretty excited because this is the first time we’re facing a larger team,” sophomore Jesse Flores said. “I know that we’ve beat Westview before, so here’s hoping that we do it again.”
Although swim puts in long hours preparing for their meets, they still manage to maintain the “work hard, play hard” spirit that they have become so well known for.
“People are so nice, even at tryouts. It was really fun because everyone was so welcoming,” freshman swimmer Joy Park said. “My first meet against Poway was really nerve wracking, but everyone helped me to adjust, so I stopped being nervous. It’s a very supportive environment.”
MC swim team is off to a great start, and if this is any indication how the team will do this season, MC will be in luck, and perhaps in line for a CIF title. The next varsity meet is Thursday, March 31 against Torrey Pines.
