Twenty girls competed on the Muscatine High School girls swim team this year. Each competition the team would improve leading to a successful season, two relay teams competing at state and a few individual swimmers as well.

The team that competed at state.

“Every swimmer saw time drops throughout the season,” Coach Erin Carl said. “We had several swimmers share their goals with us at the beginning of the season, and they hit their goals by the final meet. I am proud of every single one for their effort and performance.”

To get ready for the season, the girls each had their own individual training plan.

“Each swimmer has unique needs,” Carl said. “Our practices included workouts for sprinters, longer distance swimmers, and workouts specific to stroke and technique work. Assistant Coach Reese and I tried to make each practice fun and interesting while also challenging the swimmers and encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones.”

Every single swimmer contributed something to the team.

“Each team member was a leader in their own way at one point or another,” Carl said. “Whether it was cheering on their teammates at meets, being a motivator during a hard set, being the first to jump in for warmups, or sharing information with a teammate who was absent; they all stepped up.”

The team had a great season and discovered how talented they were.

“Overall, this season went very well,” Carl said. “The swimmers competed against teams much larger and faster and we always performed well. When I put swimmers in events they weren’t used to swimming and even if they didn’t like it, they still showed up and tried hard, which contributed to the overall success of the team. I couldn’t have asked for a better turnout for my first year and each swimmer deserves a congratulations for their effort and performance.”

When asked what her favorite memory was from the season Carl said there just wasn’t one answer she could give.

“My favorite times were all the laughs shared on the pool deck and the low-key moments where we shared how our days were going – the genuine relationship-building moments,” she said. “I also loved watching new friendships blossom and the girls bond over silly stories and inside jokes.”