Godinez Aquatics Swims Past Struggles
Alex Bernal
Freshman, Valeria Cervantes at Santa Ana High School Swim Meet on March 22, 2019.
April 12, 2019
The Godinez swim team had already gone through struggles before the swim season even started.
This school year, Godinez Aquatics had many changes including: new coaches, athletes leaving, and swim meets or tournaments being canceled or rescheduled.
However, the team is trying to make the most out of their season by improving times and trying to stay competitive.
Freshman, Valeria Cervantes, has felt the struggle. She said, “We’ve had to step up more because our fastest swimmers left. We have to fill some big shoes.”
This season, a few senior girls dropped the sport. This definitely affected the team especially the underclassmen.
For freshman, Jocelyn Mendez she feels, “There aren’t a lot of people to teach me what I need to know about swimming.”
It’s not easy to stay in this program when others, especially upperclassmen, drop the sport. It’s a tough schedule to follow. Practices are usually from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and the team must walk to practice at Valley High School.
During 6th period, the swim team gathers in teacher Nicholas Gentile’s room, then he has the team either go to the cardio room or run a few laps around the park.
For Cervantes, what motivates her to stay in swim is, “I’ve had this plan in my head that I would do water polo and swim, so I didn’t really care that there were obstacles that I had to go through,” said Cervantes.
For Mendez what motivates her to keep doing this sport is, “Best friends.”
Recently, the swim team did get a new assistant coach, Travis King. King has had many coaching experiences. He’s coached other high school swim teams, girls water polo, and even referees water polo games.
“My goal for this team is to see each kid get their personal best,” said King.
Sophomore, Jude Marting at Santa Ana High School Swim Meet on March 22, 2019.
Sophomore Jude Marting agrees that “People should join aquatics because it’s like being part of a big family. We spend a lot of quality time together, which not a lot of other teams get to do. Since practice is a little bit later, we have a lot of time to hang out with each other. We really do look like a family.” Cervantes added, “It’s definitely hard but it’s really fun and the energy is good.”
Of course, athletes have goals for themselves and the team.
Freshman, Omar Martinez, said, “My goal is to get faster and improve my form.”
Marting has set some big goals for himself as well. He said, “My goal is to break the school record for the 100 breaststroke.” The time for this school record is 01:07.
The team encourages others to join the aquatics program and to be a part of the team, or as Marting puts it, be a part of a “big family.”
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5/25/19
There were many dubious things occurring during our season such as the program continuing and if there was ever going to be a coach. Many of us swimmers like me who are in the program try to advocate as much as possible to get people to join and become part of the team since we are low on team members such as the article mentions. The paucity of swimmers has really affected our team we aren’t able to win many meets because of this we need more simmers to be able to fill in the missing position on all levels. This program will soon become obsolescence because we do not have enough members and we currently do not have coaches because many people don want to be able to deal with the circumstances and challenges this sport bringing you join it. Our current swim team feels like a family and im grateful for that we are still in this program becuase we love one another and love the sport and being around the people that surround us which in this case is my teamates.
Last year was definitely a hard year to go through for Godinez Aquatics and they are still having to go through effects this year. The upperclassmen leaving left the underclassmen with only a RUDIMENTARY understanding of the sport. it’s easier to ask a peer than it is to ask the coaches because there isn’t this pressure to get it quick or the coach will get mad, its more of a mentor-apprentice kind of relationship. The underclassmen had to step up last year so this year they will be more comfortable helping out the incoming swimmers. Last year they all figured it out themselves and they will make sure the freshman will not have to do that. This experience ultimately ENHANCED the leadership skills of these swimmers.