From waking up at 5 am to jump in a cold pool, the seahorses have transitioned to weights in the morning and swimming in the afternoon with the help of new coaches Matt Lee, assistant coaches Eric Wallace Jr., Russell Rommelfanger, and returning assistant coach Anna Nasinska. Most of the team has had Lee as a coach previously in swim club.
“In some ways I think it’s easier to adjust because now there is a bridge between club and high school, and it’s gonna be a good transition,” Coach Lee said. “I don’t think it was difficult before, but I think it might be a little easier now.”
Assistant coach Anna Nasinska has also had some of the team previously, at the middle school or as a student on the swim team.
“I coached high school swimming for six years and then took the last two years off,” Coach Nasinska said. “I think the adjustment will be smooth because we’ve been meeting a lot.”
(Marianna Young)
The familiarity of the new coaches has helped the team adjust.
“We already know most of them and what to expect,” Lauren Dumaresq, junior, said. “There will be new expectations that we will have to get used to once the season starts, but I’m sure we’ll adjust quickly.”
But, coaching can also come with challenges.
“Seeing athletes work hard and just not get the support or recognition they need either from coaches or teammates, but mostly from those at home is hard,” Coach Rommelfanger, an aide at MHS, said. “They all give so much effort, and it’s unfair not to support them at all times regardless of results.”
The addition of weight training Coach Riley Edgerton has helped the swimmers’ transition this season, with their first meet being on Nov. 20 against Crown Point.
“Thanks to Coach Edgerton the swimmers are in a better spot physically due to his intense weight room sessions,” Coach Wallace said. “The high schoolers also have a new energy to them and they are looking forward to workouts, which makes the practices more intense than in previous seasons of me coaching them.”
All in all, the coaches want what is best for their athletes.
“As a staff, we’re looking to implement a new culture around the pool in order to rejuvenate what has been a very long and storied program on both the local and state level,” Coach Rommelfanger said. “I’m a ‘what have you done for me lately’ kind of coach: I respect your past and your accomplishments, but we live in the here and now, with that being the area in which we need to focus.”
The athletes agree with wanting the best.
“I’m really hoping for a strong and unified team throughout the season,” Jasmine Wegman, senior, said. “I believe what makes a team great is the environment, because the culture around us is going to be a huge motivating factor during the season.”
