Boys Swimming Dives into Playoffs

Philipp Rivkind ‘23 lines up against Valerii Pidhoretkyy of Madison for the 500 freestyle. *Photo: William Zhang*

By KYRYLO SOLOVEY, SARFRAZ KHALBASH, and BENJAMIN NIRENSTEIN

Kyrylo Solovey is a member of the boys swim team.

The boys swim team splashed into the 2022-2023 season with an impressive 6-4 record to finish third place in their division and overcome numerous setbacks from the Covid-19 pandemic. Their reign only came to an end after falling to Francis Lewis High School in the second round of the playoffs.

Starting this season, Mr. Vladimir Frenkel became the new coach of the team and set to rebuild a struggling group that had no pool last year to train in. Mr. Frenkel aimed to develop a strong team dynamic and positive culture, emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and inclusiveness, swimmers said.

“He has a vision for the team, which is to be great,” said Max Sidorenko ‘23, a senior captain.

Frenkel “was a great new face and leader for us,” said Sam Gurvich ‘23. “He really understood us and helped us build our teamwork with more practices. I am confident about the team’s future.”

A highlight of the team’s comeback season was their face off against James Madison High School. Though they fell short in a close 50-43 loss, captain Eric Slavin ‘23 secured an impressive berth in the New York State championship with a victory in the 100-meter backstroke event and a qualification in the 50-meter freestyle event with a time of 22.08 seconds.

Slavin received the Joseph Stetz Memorial Award for outstanding senior athlete, setting new Midwood records in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle. He has consistently placed first and second in swimming meets throughout this season.

Though Slavin didn’t win at states, “it was still a fun experience,” he said. “This has been a really good season for us. We ended off pretty well and had great team chemistry, making it fun at the playoffs.”

Another member who has been instrumental to their success is Sidorenko, who showed the team strong leadership in and out of the pool and mentored younger swimmers.

“Being a captain always has its perks,” he said. “But it also comes with many responsibilities, and it is my job to keep the team tight and in sync.”

Senior captain Phillip Rivkind won second place in the 500-meter freestyle event. He has also been vital to the team’s spirit and has made it a custom to gather the team in every meeting to do the signature Midwood chant: “Midwood on me, Midwood on me, Midwood on three – one, two, three, Midwood!”

The seniors’ leadership has been a driving force behind the team's dedication to hard work.

Swmmer Nicholai Kryluk ‘23 said, "Without the proper work, you won't see the results you want. Keep swimming consistently, and the results will be worthwhile."

“I think the team will be a great hit over the next few years,” Slavin said. “We have great captains and teammates, which will get us far in the competition.”

“I’m extremely proud of how the team performed this year,” said Rivkind. “Regardless of what happened, we pushed back, came back stronger, and fought until the end. It’s an honor to be a part of this team, and I couldn't be prouder of my teammates.”