What made you come back to swim or why did you join swim?

Brice Hamilton (12): “I first joined swim because at the time I wanted something to do in the winter. I didn’t have anything and I wanted to do some type of activity I’ve always wanted to swim in my life and I keep coming back because I like to work on myself and improve in swimming and the awesome team and coaches. They’re all great people and I like the team’s dynamic because after a while the team is like family.”

Kieren Adamson (11): “I love swimming and being in the water because for me it’s enjoyable and I have a lot of friends that do swim. I used to do club swim, so I’ve been swimming for a long time. So I just want to stay with the team, bond, have friends, make new friends, and have fun.” 

Dylan Doan (12): “I’ve been swimming since I was little. I’ve always liked swimming and I always wanted to carry on and keep doing it in high school. I had a bunch of friends that did it, and that made me want to join as well.”  

Kenny Bui (10): “My friends told me about and I was like might as well join”

The swimmers have joined swim because of this love for swimming and wish to keep pursuing their love for swimming academically and they strengthen their swimming capabilities in swim to push themselves so they can get better times and grow. But that is not the only reason they join swim they also join swim because of the amazing teammates and coaches they have in swim with whom they become great friends.

What swimming categories do you compete in and how do you prepare for it?

Dylan Doan (12): “I usually swim freestyle, and I listen to music or eat a big pasta meal right before a meet and that’s how I prepare for a meet.” 

Christian Lubong (11): “I swim mostly in freestyle and individual medley which is all the strokes and I think practicing every day and doing things you don’t want to do is what makes you succeed.”

Xander Andrews (10): “The one I do the most is just the normal fifty free which is just going down and back. I also do the 100 and the way I practice for it is by going down and back a couple of times slow so I build my arms and get ready to get one fast and speedy time.”

Kieren Adamson (11): “I swim almost every event, sometimes I don’t do others because I don’t like doing them. I’m preparing by eating more because it takes a lot out of you swimming competitively and you just got to get into the right mindset for the upcoming season.”

Hazen’s swim team has a lot of people competing in freestyle events which permits the athletes to use any style of swim they want. However, the most widely used swimming style in freestyle is the front crawl because it is one of the fastest swimming styles and gives the best times for the athletes. This is why the front crawl is the most widely used during freestyle and is practically synonymous with the term “freestyle.” A lot of players prepare for their events in different ways, whether it be eating a lot of food and getting into the competitive mindset, listening to music to hype you up, pushing their limits, or shooting for a goal they are all getting ready in their ways to give us their all for this year’s boy’s swim.

What goals do you have for swim this year?

Matthew Ho (9): “To not be the worst person on the team.”

Christian Lubong (11): “To qualify for more times, to get better, and to build a better community with the other guys.”

Xander Andrews (10): “Beat my times, get better, and try to move up. I’m going to ask more of the captains and coaches how to do better at swim than I did last year.¨

Dylan Doan (12): “This year my goal is to make it to state for individual time.¨

Many of them are trying to improve themselves from last year by trying to beat their old times or improving what they can do for swim, and some just don´t want to be worse on the. But the self-improvement goals aren’t the only goals, there are community goals with trying to build a better community, helping one another out, and helping new swimmers to be their best for their starting year.

How do you feel about the construction of the pool?

James Nguyen (12): “I think it’s a travesty like I don’t understand how it’s not finished yet and how it’s a year overdue. I have to miss two of my swimming years and swim at Lindbergh for two of those years.”

Xander Andrews (10): “I wish it was faster because going all the way to the other pool we go to is the worst, but I mean I get it, and I´m excited for it to be done this year and getting to use it my junior year.¨

Christian Lubong (11): “I feel like they delayed it a lot but I think it will be good when it comes out and they finish building.¨

Brice Hamilton (12): “It sucks that we have to wait this long to have our pool, I don know how many positive things I can say about it because I felt like our pool was ok and other parts of the school needed more help and improvement then our pool.¨

Everyone thinks the pool renovations have taken way too long and it was supposed to be done a year ago now.

Are you excited about the new pool and its renovations?

James Nguyen (12): “I’m excited for the juniors who get to enjoy the pool I’m not going to get to enjoy the pool because I’m a senior and I’m graduating, I just think it’s a travesty”

Javier Shole (11): ”Yes I’m pretty excited because I’ve seen some pictures of it and it looks like it’s going to be good”

Brice Hamilton (12): “I´m excited for all the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen that will be joining swim that will get the pool, I will not because I’m a senior but I’m excited for all those people and I am excited to see what the pools going to look like at the end of it.¨

Kieren Adamson (11): “I´m very excited because that old pool was a little decrepit and run down so I’m excited about the new facility.¨

Next year´s swim team is excited about the renovations that are going to happen to the pool but some of the seniors feel like they had a year of swim ripped away from them and it’s their final year, but they are happy for the future swimmers of Hazen.

The swimmers this season are feeling good and are ready to see their fellow swimmers and coaches and build the community that they have. They working to improve from last year and grow and push themselves to do their best for this year’s season. As for how they feel about the pool construction they feel it has taken longer than it was supposed to and were robbed of swimming at their school but they are excited about the renovation it’s getting and can’t wait to see them. We’re cheering for you swim team keep on swimming.