The Misericordia Women’s Swim team boasts a record-breaking season.
With a record of 8 wins and 3 losses, the team goes into the MAC championships. Sophomore Bree Grzech broke the record for the 100 backstroke with a time of 59:93, and she beat the 200 Backstroke with a time of 2:12:44.
Sophomore Brittany Luzik swam the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:00:28, and Chelsea Mixon timed 1:39:32 in the 200 freestyle relay. The fact that the team beat rival Albright was a major accomplishment for the girls.
Freshman Alex Taylor said it was a result of a lot of hard work. “We were so excited. It was basically what we have been working for all season.” Taylor, who has been doing club swimming all her life, made clear that she is proud at the team’s accomplishments this season.
Fellow freshman Dana Hallan said she enjoys the challenge and cameradarie. “Doing club is a lot like doing college swimming; it is just as intense, and just as fun.”
The team also went to the Long Necker Invitational where it placed second. Hallan and Taylor said they were very pleased with their second place award. They were close behind, but second is still extremely impressive, said Hallan. “It’s probably the best we have ever done!”
The combination of the records, the Albright win and this second place achievement boosted the confidence of the team going into the MAC Championships. “We’re ready to win!” said Taylor.
The team prepared for the MAC in an unusual way. The team uses a strategy called taper, which is the time for muscles to repair themselves from being worked and torn for months. The team has shorter practices, and swimmers get a lot of rest so they can work to their full potential at the championships.
The girls also have another training trick may help bring them the victory. Swimmers are not shaving their legs for a month and a half. The reason is that shaving removes hair and dead skin, and once the month and a half is over, they shave off all the hair, and the dead skin goes away, and they can swim much faster.