Swim Teams Finish Second in Division

The Boys Swim Team finished with a regular season record of 8-2. *Photo: Continental Studios.*

By ALANNA LALMAN and MELODY MORAN

Coming in at exactly 5 minutes and 5.67 seconds in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, the Girls Varsity Swim Team finished their final game of the first round of the playoffs on October 28 with an unfortunate 56-38 loss to the Bronx High School of Science. Despite their disappointment, the girls finished with high spirits and are ready to come back for the win next season.

The team worked hard this year, making new friends, creating new memories, and breaking new records as they ended with a triumphant 9-1 record, a massive improvement over their 5-4 finish the year before.

“Like Coach says, swimming is more of a race against yourself than others,” said Charlotte Li ‘26. “Your goal isn’t always to beat the other team, but to break your own record.”

Although they had positive energy throughout the season, they also faced many challenges. “We didn’t have a lot of new students try out, and we lost a lot of seniors last year,” said the team’s coach, Ms. Lindsey Perro.

Despite this, the squad brought their talent, and the only slip-up they had during the regular season was a narrow 50-48 defeat to James Madison on September 27. They got revenge in a second Battle of the Bedfords on October 22, winning 53-41.

“Everyone was so friendly and open to making new friends,” Li said. “The team has a family vibe to it.”

The girls worked together every week for hours making sure to perfect their strokes while having a lot of support from their captains and coaches. “Coach was extra fun and supportive and the captains were on it!” Li said. “They made sure everyone was there and accounted for and led us through our events one by one.”

The Boys Varsity Swim Team had a similarly strong season, though they also suffered an early playoff exit.

On January 31, Boys Swimming went against Francis Lewis in the first round of the playoffs at the Long Island City High School Pool, ending with a 58-39 loss.

In spite of this finish, the boys had an outstanding season, ending with a final standing of 8-2, number two in the division, also an improvement over last year’s 6-4.

Arthur Arapaki ‘28 said, “It was a really good season. I’d say we did really well even though we were one of the lower seeds.”

“Our team’s success this season could definitely be attributed to our upperclassmen who are a part of club teams outside of school,” said Daniel Kim ‘26, a second year swimmer.

He added, “To new team members and possible swimmers, I advise you to be persistent and not get discouraged by comparing yourself to others. Some of our best swimmers only started swimming competitively in their freshman year.”

The boys consistently worked hard with a lot of support and that showed throughout the season. “You can prove your capability through consistent effort,” Kim said. “You will find people who will support you because everyone has the same journey and dedication to get to where they are now.”

The boys have created a strong support system that has no doubt been a key factor in their success this season and which looks set to continue into the next.