Matrix Co-Editor in Chief

Volume XXXVIII: Issue 4: Page 14

After competing at leagues, senior swimmers Will Drabold, Rachel Larimer and Alex Showalter met to discuss their final swimming season. Senior Abby Pomento was not present at the interview although she is also a senior on the swim team.

ML: Do you have anything you do together before a meet?

Drabold: That’s actually one thing that I’ve felt we needed to do. All the other teams do something. They yell and hit each other. We just sit there. I guess we sing the national anthem when everyone else is standing there listening to it. I guess that’s awkward.

ML: Since most of you participate in other sports, how would you say swimming is different?

Showalter: It’s definitely harder and a lot more work than other sports because it’s not that fun.

Larimer: It is fun.

Drabold: You think it’s not because you don’t feel yourself sweating or growing tired.

ML: Going into leagues, how did it feel to start wrapping up your final swimming season?

Drabold: It was pretty emotional. We kind of cried in the locker room before, but it’s got to happen. We have to move on. We’re hoping Lucas and… there’s going to be there guys next year so you should put in the article that we could really use some guys.

ML: Do you have any encouraging words for those who make it to districts?

Drabold: Alex went to districts in 50 free last year. Did you go districts?

Larimer nods.

Drabold: What did you go in?

Larimer: 200.

Drabold: That’s right. So Rachel and Alex went last year, and then I was in a relay that went.

Larimer: Caroline went in an individual and relay.

Drabold: Alex was the only guy that went individually.

Larimer and Showalter: Yep.

Drabold: Alex will probably go again.

ML: With the underclassmen on the swimming team, are you close with them?

Showalter: The team is so small…

Drabold: … you kind of have to be friends.

Showalter: … It’s hard not to be friends, but, I mean, it’s fun.

Drabold: There aren’t inter-team cliques. You also get split up by lanes and ability. Me, Alex and Lucas may warm up together, but we’ll get split up later.

ML: Do you have any words for the swimming underclassmen?

Drabold: Let’s see. It’s probably bad luck to make a rap at districts. And -

ML: A what?

Drabold: A rap.

Showalter: No, it’s good luck.

(Laughs.)

Showalter: It was Sam.

Drabold: It was Sam… Righi false started last year. We waited four hours for our relay and then he false started on the first 50. We were just like, “Okay, great, that was worth it.” But we ate Chinese food so it was okay. Yeah, I don’t know… words of wisdom? I feel like other sports people should do this. If you play a spring sport, this is definitely good. Even football players - if you swam in the summer, I think your cardio and everything would really improve. But it’s definitely not for everybody.

ML: Rachel, do you have any [advice]?

Larimer: It might take me a minute to think of something. Go, Alex.

Showalter: I don’t even know…

Drabold: (whispering) Don’t do swimming.

(Laughs.)

Drabold: Oh! It’s better to get in the water than to just stand there and think about how cold it is…

Showalter: No, it’s not.

Drabold: Well, you’re going to get in eventually and the more your stand and think about it…

Larimer: Yeah. It gets warm pretty fast once you swim a few laps.

ML: Well, the Aquatic Center is too chlorinated for me.

Larimer: Yeah, it makes my hair fall out a lot.

Drabold: And stuff floating in it constantly.

ML: EW!

(Laughs.)

Drabold: But other than that…

Larimer: I guess, like, just work really hard at it. Anybody can be good at it if they try, but you have to have natural ability, like Alex, to do good. I mean, to do really, really good. But if you work at it, anyone can do it pretty much.

Drabold: And the other thing is, if you’re tall, you should swim.

(Laughs.)

Drabold: I’m not athletic and I don’t try at all, but I’m alright because I’m tall. If you have long legs and long arms then…

Larimer: … And if you tried harder in practice you’d actually be better.

Drabold: Yeah, but I don’t actually want to do that. We’re definitely not as committed as other sports.

Larimer: Yeah… Well, some people are.

Drabold: Some people are. There are a few people on the team. Caroline will get mad; she yells at me when I’m not trying.

Showalter: You [Drabold] yell at me when I’m not trying.

(Laughs.)

Drabold: I mean, it depends on how bad the not trying is.

Larimer: I mean… you’re still good even without practicing. If you practiced, you could go to State.

Showalter: Psh…

Drabold chuckles.

Larimer: I mean, really…

Drabold: [Coach] Kurtis is like, “Alex, kick in practice.” Like, what the heck…

(Laughs.)