2021 swim season is nothing but a dip in the pool

What would have been the 2020-2021 winter swim season for the Aquaknights is now the 8-week long 2021 season. The season began on Feb. 1 and will end shortly after on March 28.

This season, all meets are virtual so each team swims all together in their home location and times themselves. This means that there is no contact with any of the opposing teams. Then the times are compared and the officials release the results a couple days later.

“The circumstances are less than ideal, but we are still a team and are making do with what we have and making sure we have a fun time,” senior Kelle Dingwell said.

Accommodating COVID-19 safety requirements have naturally affected all parts of the high school experience, and athletics are no exception. In addition to the isolated meets, swimmers wear masks right up until when they jump into the pool, and they mask up immediately afterward. Athletes also need to fill out a form every day before they arrive at practice at the Caldwell Community Center. Temperature checks are done regularly.

Aside from the complexity of this season with the rules and protocols, the swimmers are experiencing an emotional toll from having such a strange season, especially seniors. 

“There is definitely an unspoken feeling of strangeness to the season. We all know that things are really different, especially the meets feeling just like any other practice. The competitive element is kind of lost” senior Madison Trewhella said. 

The feeling of the meets and practices are now very different for the swimmers. It isn’t ideal but it’s better than nothing, Trewhella explained. 

“I have been looking forward to my senior swim season for four years and I’m so happy we finally have it,” senior captain Maya Carpenter said. “COVID has definitely changed our practices and meets, but it’s worth it for our senior year. Even though a lot has changed because of COVID, it is still amazing to be back at the pool and get to be with the whole team again.”