Head Coach Chip Crow stands back from the pool deck as he watches his upperclassmen swimmers finish their warm up strokes. Junior Maggie Torbeck and senior Meghan Hampson finish the final turns of the 100m backstroke.

“Maggie and Meghan are probably going to state this year; backstroke is their best event,” Said Crow who has been the coach of girls swimming since the school first started offering the sport in 1997.

Crow says the upperclassmen seem to have a very promising season ahead of them, which he is excited for. But as always the beginning of each season brings new beginning swimmers to the team.

This year the team is welcoming six new freshmen and surprisingly four new juniors.

“Its strange in the first place to have anybody join after freshmen year but four juniors with very little experience is very odd,” Said Crow.

Torbeck agrees that its strange for someone to join a sport so late in their high school career but she respects them for it.

“I think its great they’ve stepped up to the challenge,” said Torbeck, “ Their already showing huge signs of improvement and all four of them seem extremely dedicated.”

The girls may have been nervous before the practices started but they are getting much more comfortable. They are now more then ready for their first meet on Dec. 9, a tri meet against Hazelwood Central and McCluer.

“All the girls are very nice and encouraging, I feel like it”ll help me to do the best I can in all the practices so that I do well in the meets,” said Sherese Melvin one of the new juniors to the team.

“I’m very excited for this season,” Said Crow.