The swim and dive team completed their season on February 3–4 at the state meet at Georgia Tech. The girls’ team placed seventh, and the boys’ team placed fifth.
The highlight of the trip was watching senior diver Ryland Gummere, who placed first overall. Gummere has been diving since fifth grade and was grateful to end his career on a high note.
“Entering state, I knew that I had to do my very best because I was ending a big chapter of my life,” said Gummere, the only senior on the dive team.
Gummere said he went through many mental blocks and struggled with the anxiety of not ending his season on a good note.
“My coaches and I had to make my dives a little easier so that on meet day, I could compete without being too scared and go straight into it,” said Gummere.
Other achievements included the girls’ 200 medley relay—featuring junior Anna Read McCormack, senior Evie Houston and Darby Carter, and freshman Amelia Hagen—which placed third. McCormack also placed third in the 100 backstroke. Senior Ethan Coggin placed third in the boys’ 500 free.
“It is the best feeling because I know how hard all the swimmers work, and I am so proud of them for what they do to get there,” said Coach Madeleine Brolly.
To prepare for meets and qualify for state, the swim team practiced on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 at Dynamo. They began with a drill focused on technique and distance, moved into continuous reps, and ended with sprinting and a cool-down lap.
The dive team practiced at Marist and consisted of four members: Gummere, junior Caroline Kitchen, junior Eva Grace, and freshman Kate Dooley. To adjust their dives, coaches filmed each attempt on a TV with a 30-second delay so divers could see how it looked from the coach’s perspective.
“Practices can be really difficult and tiring, but we know it is because the coaches are preparing both our minds and our bodies for meet day,” said sophomore Emma Porterfield.
The swim and dive season ended with a banquet held at Pius on February 18. It included food, smiles, and awards recognizing the athletes’ hard work.
