Since the start of the season, the NHHS swim team has been challenged by new Covid protocols and regulations. 

   Weekly, the swim team participates in meets where they’re challenged to race their best events to beat other swimmers and create new personal best times. The four different types of strokes that students compete in include, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. 

     Senior Riley O’Hare has been swimming since she was nine and started off on a Summer team. She immediately fell in love with the sport and began to swim year round. Her biggest strengths and favorite events are longer and more endurance based. 

    “My weakness is definitely fly;  I have never been good at it. This season I have definitely been working to improve at stepping up and being a leader at practices and meets since I am a captain this year.”

    O’Hare expresses the level of support the team has for one another as during the meets they “cheer [eachother] on while they are swimming.” So far, she thinks the team has a great connection and are all very supportive. 

  At the beginning of the season, Covid protocols weren’t  influencing the season as much as they are now. According to O’Hare, the team “can’t have spectators at meets.” “It’s sad that we can’t have our family and friends come to watch us compete, especially for seniors,” she shares. 

     We all try to make up for it by making sure we are being supportive and cheering on one another                        

      Before the season started, senior Madison Winn’s biggest goal was to perform well at meets. She’s currently satisfied with her original goal and says she’s “achieved a lot and is getting really good times in the 500 free.” 

     “I’m very good at doing long distance and I’m very good at breaststroke. I would say my weaknesses are long distance butterfly and backstroke, I’ve never really liked doing those strokes,” Winn says. She’s been swimming for almost 15 years and is hoping to continue to improve as the season continues. 

      Senior Griffin Hevesy has been swimming since he was in 3rd grade because his friend Evan encouraged him to start doing it. ”It took me a while to actually get comfortable with each of the strokes but ever since I’ve improved drastically in every way possible.” 

     He admits that this season has been a little rough due to COVID restrictions but expects the end of the season to be a blast.