The new Warren Woods Tower boy’s swim team has finally started and Coach Matt Rohloff is definitely ready for the season; especially due to the fact that they gained 8 new members and only lost 4 seniors. He has been coaching swim for 12 years and he is very excited for this season. “We have a large senior class that set significant goals that I believe we can achieve if all team members commit,” stated Rohloff.
Losing four great seniors has impacted the team but not greatly. “Adding eight new members has made a positive impact on the team because it adds depth to our team and depth helps win meets,” said Rohloff. The boy’s swim team’s biggest competitors this season are Utica, Anchor Bay, and St.Clair and Coach Rohloff can almost guarantee they will win but only if, “all team members commit to the team.”
Their first meet ended with them being victorious and defeating their opponents Lakeshore and Warren Mott High School. “Our meet yesterday went very well. The new swimmers gained some experience and returning swimmers made progress,” stated Rohloff. There are still a lot of things that the swimmers need to improve on but overall, for a first meet, they did phenomenal. “I was very pleased with the team, yet it is clear that the team has much work to do to achieve their goals, especially on endurance and technique,” said Rohloff.
Also, diving in the first meet should’ve had a great significant role in the boy’s first meet but it didn’t have much as they expected it too. Especially since girl’s swim team didn’t have a diver and that was one of their major problems in their meets; it lost a lot of their points and hurt their score, but Rohloff stated, “Diving didn’t impact us majorly in this meet but it will in future meets.”
The team’s first year swimmers also made a huge impact on the team in the meet. “The team’s best accomplishment at the meet was our first year swimmers completing their first races.”
Jonathan Pendell ’16 was one of the new swimmers that made an impact on the team at their first meet. “My first meet went pretty well, I wasn’t too nervous but more intimidated. I was satisfied with my first meet. I beat my 50 meter free from practice by three seconds!” stated Pendell. He joined his sophomore year and was very nervous in the beginning because he thought it would be terrible. “I decided to join the swim team because I wanted to at least try the sport, and a lot of parents were telling me I’d be perfect for it. I didn’t join as a freshman because I felt that the sport wasn’t for me and I thought that it would be horrible,” stated Pendell.
Returning swimmers also had a huge impact on the team. Even though Brett Robertson, ’16, didn’t swim his first meet, he feels that the team accomplished great things at the meet. “I feel glad about the meet as a swimmer and as a team because everyone tried their hardest, even the new swimmers,” stated Robertson. “I prepare for meets by eating healthy which means eating a lot of carbs and protein. Also, I practice almost every day to improve my skills and techniques,” stated Robertson.
David Pokriefka, ’14, also prepares for his meets by going to practice every day and working hard. “I am proud of what my team did at the meet. We won. Our team did great, but the season will get harder and there’s always room for improvement. I’m happy about the meet as a swimmer because I swam one of my best times. I think our team will continue improving by working hard and practice. Coach Rohloff and Coach Tori provide us with great workouts every day and know how to make us a better team,” stated Pokriefka.
They did extremely well in their meet, especially since they won first place in a lot of their events including most seniors. Danny Geromette, ’14, won 1st place in the 100 back and the 100 free, Lucas Kelly, ’14, won first place in the 200 I.M. and the 500 free, and Brandon Elliott, ’15, won first place in the 50 free. Also, their 400 free relay which was also was the last event which included seniors, Geromette, Kelly, Santowski, and Jacob Berkley, ’14, won first place.
The team has set goals for their season by staying on top of their grades, eating healthy, staying dedicated to the team and there selves, trying their hardest at every meet, and practicing every day during practice and staying committed to the team.
No responses yet