Tumwater Girls Swim Team
The echo of cheers and the thunderous splash of water define race day for the Tumwater High School Swim Team. Imagine the crisp scent of chlorine filling the air as the starter’s horn blares, triggering the surge of swimmers slicing through the water. Amid this vibrant scene, it’s easy to forget that behind the flurry of activity is a team many students don’t even know exists. Let me introduce you to the THS swim team!
Since the THS campus does not have a pool, the swim team meets at a local college that does. The Tumwater swim team even competes in competitions against other schools! However, many students aren’t even aware that swimming can be a competitive sport, let alone that we have a swim team.
According to Elle Fields, before swim practice, “Everyone and my friends play mermaids…Then we lock in and our hard work pays off,” which I honestly respect. It would be okay to goof off before doing hard workouts. It balances out perfectly.
I wanted to understand what makes the THS swim team unique. While swimming might seem simple, competitive swimming demands another level of skill and commitment; the team has to learn and perform difficult moves and strokes, and execute them under pressure.
When asked, Katelyn Oakes stated, “It takes a lot of work and a lot of practice…” I would assume that doing a butterfly stroke is harder than just floating.
Despite their dedication, the swim team’s efforts often go unnoticed. Most students are unaware that it exists, which makes their achievements even more impressive. If you ever have some free time on your hands, I would advise you to ask around and see when and where the next meet is. It’s probably more interesting than you think!
