The swim team kicked off the 2025-26 season with several meets in December. The team consists of 21 girls and 13 boys.
The team started practicing on Nov. 17. This was the official start of the season. Before this, the coaches held open swims and clinics. The open swims were for anyone interested in swimming this year. The clinics were for any returner swimmer from last season.
“The coaching staff and I are ready for the new season,” head coach Brian Kephart said. “We have a large amount of our underclassmen from last year returning, and we picked up a good group of new sophomore girls and freshman boys. These additions make us excited when we think about the short-term future of the team.”
Since this is the new coaching staff’s second year, they predict things will go better.
“Things should go smoother for us this year as well,” Kephart said. “We have a good handle on how the season goes now. We are better prepared, ahead of the game and ready to coach, as compared to last year when we just took over right when the season was about to start.”
The team earned its first win of the season on Dec. 10 in a home meet against Cambria Heights. The girls team won with a score of 92-78. The boys’ team also had a strong win with a score of 93-40.
Captain of the girls’ team, junior Graycie Price, is very happy on how the start of the season has been going.
“The start of the season has been very good for the team,” Price said. “We started off the season good with a win. Everyone is putting a lot of effort in and really trying. Everyone has been doing amazing to start off this season.”
On Dec.19, the team competed in another home meet against Tyrone. The girls’ team earned their second win of the season with a score of 90-64. The boys’ team struggled in the meet and lost 37-123.
The team then traveled to Somerset on Dec. 22 for an away meet. Both teams faced competition. The girls’ team lost 76-90 while the boys’ team lost 55-108.
The swim team competed in several meets throughout December, having both home and away meets.
“We had a great few weeks of winter break,” Kephart said. “This group of kids handled the more intense holiday practices very well. Most of the newer swimmers really took that next step in becoming a better swimmer. Same for the returners. They worked hard and pushed themselves this holiday season to become better swimmers.”
The teams next meet is scheduled for Jan. 9 against Marion Center and will be held at home.
“We have quite a few meets in January so we’ll get to see how much improvement was made,” Kephart said. “Our goal is to win more meets than we did last year, for both the boys and girls team. I think we have a chance to do that. Then we are ultimately looking for Districts near the end of February.”
