“Sorry, I can’t….. I have a meet that weekend,” seems to be the story of every swimmer’s life, especially Seward High School’s 2017 swim team. This year’s team, consisting of Meghan Mullaly, Kylie Mullaly, Fatima Roca Suarez, Joshua Park, Karl Pfeiffenberger, Lucy Hankins, Connor Spanos, Megan Koster, Hunter Hollingsworth, and myself (Elena Hamner), have been swimming competitively together. A few member have been participating for over five years.

Before there was high school swimming, we were all splashing around as little waves as part of the Seward Tsunami Swim Club. I, personally, started swimming in 2008, which is how I met most of the people I know today. I have been swimming competitively for 10 years, and it has been fun watching these kids grow up; however, it is weird for me now to swim in high school with them. Because when I look at them, I still see the very young faces looking back at me. The only difference is now I am the one having to look up at them.

I asked Meghan Mullaly about her thoughts on how she feels about swimming in high school with her sister, Kylie, she answered, “Well, it’s not much different because we swam in club together, but it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be.” After seven years in the Tsunami Swim Club, she switched over to high school and took off. I also asked returning swimmer Karl Pfeiffenberger what it was like to be back on the team, and have enough boys to swim on a relay. He replied, “I’m not sure; it’s fun I guess. But having a relay is really fun.”

In past years, swimming has had trouble acquiring enough students to complete a team, and they were always a girl majority. This year, things are being switched up, and the numbers are about even. Returning coach, Meghan O’Leary, is an alumni Tsunamis and Seahawk swimmer. She coached at North Pole High School for two years, before migrating back home. “It’s great to be coaching these kids. It’s fun to watch them improve, and I am excited that we finally have a boys relay team this year.”

The swim team has their one and only home meet this weekend, and we’re all stoked to see our old club friends. If you are at all interested in joining our swimming family, we are more than happy to welcome you into our pool.

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