By Shreya Thakkar
News Editor
With talent from returning team members combined with new talent from freshmen, the varsity girls swimming and diving team is ready for another great season, according to coach Alfonso Lopez.
“We had a huge freshman and sophomore class last year and they’ve just taken a step forward. And we have another very large, very fast freshman class coming in,” Lopez said. “So the expectation this year is that that we win the MSL east, win our division and qualify as many swimmers as we can for state.”
Lopez credits his high expectations for this team because last year some of the team’s fastest swimmers were young, so with all those kids moving up plus all the new talent, he believes the current team will do very well during the season.
The team’s first meet is against Palatine on Tuesday, September 3. According to Lopez, Prospect’s team is at the level that Palatine’s team was at last year, so it will be a tough meet.
“Palatine is fast, and they have a very talented squad,” Lopez said. “I expect on all levels for us to be very competitive, and obviously I expect us to win but it’ll be very tough. It’s a great first meet to start the season.”
Senior varsity member Mary Schiavone agrees and has confidence that Prospect will do well because of the team’s close bond.
“We’re a really really close team, and we all get really excited when someone gets a best time or someone drops a couple seconds,” Schiavone said. “I’m really looking forward to [this season.]”
As hard as the team works with five afternoon and four morning practices, they also like to have fun and the coaches try to make it fun too.
“We try to make it creative; we try to make it fun for the kids,” said Lopez. “Obviously we want them to work hard, but we try to make it interesting,” said Lopez.
Lopez believes his commitment to the fun environment will encourage the competitors to return each year.
Lopez’s theory seems to be right. According to Schiavone, she likes to come back to swim with the team every since freshman year because it is fun.
Schiavone is also looking forward to bonding with the new team, and is looking forward to the upcoming season.
“We’re getting new talent while we still have talent on our team. And we all get along really well, there are no fights, no drama and its just a really fun sport. Especially when we’re all friends. So I think it is going to be a really good season for us,” Schiavone said.