Simpson Swimmers excited for meets at Loras and Beloit
November 18, 2014
After a strong finish last season, the Simpson College swim and dive team looks to keep the momentum going in the beginning of this season. Their first meet was at Coe College on Nov. 14, and they will be competing at Loras College on Nov. 21 and Beloit College on Nov. 22.
This will be the team’s first chance this season to see how they perform in back-to-back meets. These meets will be a great opportunity for the team to figure out their strategies for the rest of the season.
The team has been working hard, swimming greater distances than they were at this time last season, and it is paying off.
Head coach Tom Caccia said, “On average we’re running two seconds faster per 100 meters per athlete. We did not get to do the Augsburg Invite that we were hoping to; it’s a time trial meet. So we held our own time trials here.”
Caccia plans on having his team keep practicing hard through the meet season, maybe relaxing a little before the Grinnell College meets, but otherwise the team will be practicing hard to do their best.
Junior breaststroker and individual medley swimmer Kyle Mckim said, “This year we look great. We have a lot more people, which is nice. We’re hitting it hard; we’re on the grind.”
The swimmers have been pushing themselves hard in practice since late
September and are ready to get out and compete.
“I think we’re a lot more excited about competition this year. Last year they were trying to get to know me and what we were trying to get out of it that year, and I was doing the same. This year it kind of looks like everybody’s on the same field. We have the same goals, the same kind of determination and I see them working a lot harder in practice than they were a year ago,” Caccia said.
This Simpson team has many characteristics of a strong team. They are all
motivated, excited and there are a lot of returners to guide the younger swimmers.
Going in to Loras (one of the top teams in the conference) sophomore Haley Blum is optimistic, but realistic.
“I hope it’s a close meet if we don’t win,” Blum said.
Even if they do not win at Loras or Beloit, this Simpson swim team is going to keep working hard and improving. As the season progresses, this will be a team to watch.
