The varsity swim team may not receive as much hype as other teams like basketball or lacrosse, but by no means does it have less personality. As evidenced by the appearance of seniors Michael Ratcliffe and Matt Salutillo in nothing but Speedos at the winter pep rally, the swim team isn’t afraid to go all out, both in and out of the pool.
With another successful season and run at states under their belts, the swimmers share their perspectives on what makes their team so unique.
On food
The swimmers must eat constantly in order to keep up their energy. “We’re all about food,” said senior Caitlin Rose. “We’re the Langley Eating Team. We eat as much food as you can possibly get.”
This typically involves carbs before meets, and team dinners at Silver Diner or McLean Family Restaurant afterwards.
The team also eats dinner together every Thursday at members’ houses, according to junior Jason Fu.
“Our team will go out and order the biggest meals. We’re all so hungry,” said senior Jack Reilly.
Not only do the swimmers have to make sure they eat enough, they also have to make sure they’re eating the right foods. “I know not to drink soda, coffee or energy drinks often,” said sophomore Amy Owens.
On morning practices
In addition to their daily afternoon practices, many members of the team hit the pool to practice well before the sun comes up.
“I did morning practices until this year,” said Reilly. “I would be tired the entire day. When I got home, I wouldn’t feel like doing anything else but sleeping.”
Morning practices force the swimmers to plan ahead and not procrastinate. “I usually have to plan a lot with my homework, because I can’t stay up too late or else I’ll be falling asleep during seventh period,” said Owens.
On Coach Jackson
Head coach Ryan Jackson has earned a reputation among the team as supportive and understanding, especially for the swimmers who are on club teams and have to juggle extra practices.
“Coach Jackson really understands how we have other commitments. He puts school above practice. Also, he lets us rest when we don’t have meets,” said Owens.
Coach Jackson has also been known to document the team’s memories on Instagram, according to senior Anne Gent. “He and assistant coach Kristin Sandridge strongly emphasize the importance of good sportsmanship and team spirit,” said Gent.
On team bonding
The team prides itself on its close bonds and traditions. Before each meet, they all congregate in the pool and yell a series of chants.
One common chant is “Saxons on 6,” where they count to six and yell “Saxons,” according to Rose. The chant is a play off Langley’s broadcast program of the same name from a few years ago.
“My favorite pre-meet tradition was senior Chris Paul’s awesome cheerleading,” said Roesel.
Upperclassmen make a big effort to integrate the younger swimmers into the team. “This year, it felt like there was absolutely no divide between upper and lower classmen,” said junior Katie Storch.
Rose added, “I always love seeing the new faces. They make our team so interesting.”