Students exercising aquatically on the swim team have developed a family-like relationship with other members in the club since their first meeting in October, as they focus on each other’s individual growth, stay devoted, and express similar aspirations.

“My sophomore year I was friends with everybody on the team,” said senior Christian Feil, a swimmer. “If you’re looking for buddies, everyone’s going to be your friend.”

Swimmers ask other members on the team to help them learn, even if it’s through watching each other’s strokes and noticing something they’re doing wrong.

“Nobody judges anyone,” said senior Kaela Feil, a swimmer, and twin, to Christian. “We’re all in a swimsuit, we look like weirdos with caps on and goggles, so nobody cares.”

Not only at these meets, but also at their practices, they have to share a pool with schools such as Layton and Northridge, and it is a unanimous desire on the team to have an area of their own to avoid crowding. The team’s top priority, however, is to keep putting in better captains that work hard and push the team.

“If the captain is sitting outside and goofing off, the rest of the team feels like they can do it too,” said senior captain Jesse Halls. “You need to work hard and put forth the effort.”

At the end of each season, the previous captains make a list of nominations, laying the foundation of people that they want as leaders the next year. Each member votes for a girl captain and a boy captain, and then the coach, Mr. Bjorklund, tallies up to find out the elected member.

“It also helps if your friends with the captains,” said sophomore swimmer McKay Feil.  “If I go to lunch with them and ask them a question, they’ll help me [practice].”

Because Jesse and his twin brother, Benjamin Halls, have been swimming for about ten years, Mr. Bjorklund picked them as captains, knowing how educated they are in the sport and their capability in helping other members.

“We’ve been fairly obnoxious to [Mr. Bjorkland] for the last four years, so he kind of knows us,” said senior captain Benjamin halls, twin brother to Jesse. “When we first started out as twins we kind of stuck out like a sore thumb.”

Swimmers are expected to focus on their own performance at practices and meets. Afterward Mr. Bjorklund tests the members on every stroke, finding the events that they’ve done best at and will swim at competitions.

“It’s mostly just what we’re good at,” said Jesse. “Every swimmer has their event that they like, then [the others] could be different from what you’re actually good at.”

There are twenty-four different events, twelve for men and the other half for women, that swimmers can swim at a whole meet. After Christmas break some members have not been swimming for two whole weeks, then when they come back they feel, like Kaela said, “You want to die.”

“Trust me, there are a lot of times when you think, ‘Oh, man! I’m done, I’m not going to do this’,” said Christian. “You’re just challenging yourself to get better.”

Practicing two hours a day, everyday ,for the swimmers of the team to get better makes their membership time consuming. The meets run even longer, and the swimmers won’t find themselves at home until 7:00 at night.

“Even as much as you don’t like it sometimes,” said Kaela, “it’s worth it for the exercise and to be social.”

This week the entire swim team will go to region. The swimmers that are fast enough at the competition will qualify to go to state.