The swimming and diving season is back at MC, and Coach Tina Grunauer feels the team, along with diver Eric Correa, is stronger than ever. Coach Tina is back for her third year as head along with Mr. Matt McGuire and Mr. Chris Willhelmi (who, for the record, identifies himself “back up to the back up head coach”).

Senior captains Jake Williams and Quinn Kelly are leading the Caravan this year, and have their expectations both for the team and themselves.

“I want to PR (personal record) this year in my events and I want everyone else to beat their best times” said Kelly.

Scoring is determined by the fastest time in the “strokes” (events)  in which a swimmer participates. Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly are the four basic strokes, but there are many events. The individual medley relay or “IM” is one in which all four strokes are used by a single swimmer. The regular medley involves four swimmers who each use one stroke.

Also a major aspect part of swimming is the length of each event, which range from 50 meters (two laps I most pools) to 500 meters which is normally around 20 laps. Each stroke has an event from 50 to 200 meters. However, the only 500 stroke, for high school competitors, is freestyle.

The other co-captain, Jake Williams, is more than ready and wants to take the team further than ever this year.

“I trust the freshmen to swim their hardest, and we need the rest to swim the best on every race.”

On January 5, the Caravan swam at UIC against St. Ignatius and St. Rita. MC has been participating in this meet for a long time, as the coaches of all three teams are friends. This year, St. Ignatius took the first place with Carmel finishing in second.

Competing against St. Rita is Kelly’s favorite meet.

“Those guys always swim hard and it’s always a fun competition.”