As winter sports begin to start back up again, so does Oakdale’s Girls swim team! Coaches Brigid Kavanaugh and Damon Allen continue to be the team’s head coaches for this season. The team has also received two new assistant coaches, Coaches Olivia Edsall and Chris Lamont, who have made an amazing impact on the team by helping coach swimmers through practices and meets.

With around 80 kids on the team, it has been stronger than ever as the team stands at a 6-0 record. The team goes against all high schools in Frederick in dual meets before prepping for Counties and States in February. 

Meets are scored in points, which may be surprising to non-swimmers. With each event, the fastest swimmer per heat will earn the most points, while the second and third swimmers will earn fewer points, and other swimmers will not earn points. This is why each school’s individual swimmers have to work hard to aim for higher placement to earn more points, and possibly win County Championships later on.

The team is made up of all different grades of swimmers. They do an outstanding job of supporting each other through meets and tough practices. 

“Everyone is so nice, everyone cheers for everyone even if they aren’t on the same team,” claims Freshman Kylie Rollins, who has been on the team for less than a month. Swimming is a great way to make new friends and cheer on teammates as they compete in their races.

The team is also a great way for student athletes to build strength, as well as being a mentor to younger swimmers in their older years of swimming. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a team captain so that I could encourage everyone and set a good example for the younger girls on the team,” shares Senior and Team Captain, Tori Taylor, who has been a swimmer for 11 years on both summer and club teams, and sets an excellent example for younger swimmers who are new to the team.

The swim team is a great place for new and experienced swimmers. Practices are held up to five days a week at the Urbana YMCA, where students are given the opportunity to improve skills and have time with their teammates. There are also often pasta parties and group hangouts held at various places for the team to get together and participate in. The group is very strong in the team bonding area of the sport, which makes it such a strong and connected team.

Overall, the team is a very fun experience for anyone who would like to join. They do a great job of having team bonding activities, as well as being a great place for swimmers to exercise and build strength and speed, in and out of the pool. The team has excellent coaches and captains who help to mentor and train the swimmers for future meets. Let’s see how the Oakdale Bears swim team does in the rest of the 2023/24 season!