As the seasons change, it’s time to welcome winter sports back to St. Dominic! The Crusader Swim Team is thrilled to have started their season yesterday, with their first practice of the year. 

To make sure they’re prepared for the upcoming season, the swim team has put lots of time and effort into staying in shape during the offseason. 

“I work at the Wentzville Recreation Center, and teach swim lessons, so I focus on the technicalities of different strokes when I teach the little kids, which helps me with swimming overall. I swim there when I get off shifts too, so I can condition in the offseason,” Senior Mia Schickler said. 

Coach Carly Honerkamp, believes that this year, the swim team is made up of a very special group of athletes.

“I think a big thing that separates this group of women from teams of previous seasons is their work ethic. I have always had athletes who work hard, but I feel that they are constantly trying to be better and are invested in the drills, and skills in order to achieve their goals,” Coach Honerkamp said.

An integral part of the swim team’s success has been their support for each other and the team as a whole. As a senior, Mia Schickler, is doing her best to set the team up for success after her graduation.

“This year we have some really good underclassmen who contribute a lot to the team. It’s important to have devoted underclassmen because it provides stability for upcoming years and encourages more freshmen to join the team,” Schickler said.

When compared to more traditional high school sports, like football or soccer, swimming is exceptionally unique. 

“I chose swimming because I love being in the water. It’s so nice and relaxing. Also it’s not that strenuous of a sport, and the practices are late in the evening so there’s still time to do schoolwork! My favorite part is how relaxed it usually is, and even though sometimes we compete against each other we still respect each other,” said senior Evie Gholson. 

As the swim season continues, make sure to show support to our swim team, or even consider joining!