The Salina Central girls swimmers are preparing for the season, even with a smaller team. 

Although a smaller team can seem like a setback, the swimmers look at it as an opportunity to be close to each other. 

¨Everyone has been practicing very hard,” senior Caroline Fields said. “I think I can speak for everyone when I say that the first few weeks of getting back into everything are a little rough and the pressure is definitely on since we only have a couple weeks until our first meet.”

The first swim meet is March 27, at the Salina South Natatorium. 

Fields said the team is focused on having a positive community this season. 

“Our main goal for the team this year is to have a good team environment,” she said. “While doing well as a team at meets is important, making sure everyone is having fun and treating everyone else with respect is the most important thing to us.”

Senior Mackenzie Wisbey said the new members are adjusting to the team’s environment easily. 

“The new members are fitting in well with the team,” Wisbey said. “It’s an incredibly friendly team, and you could hardly tell that it’s these members’ first year on the team with how well we’re getting along and with how easy going they are.”

One of the challenges the team is facing is a small roster with only 12 swimmers.

“One of the challenges we are expecting to face is we do have a pretty small team and a lot of teams are bigger than us,” Ebel said. “So when we go to meets we don’t place as high because we have a smaller team. So then we don’t score as many points which makes us not place as high.”

Even though low numbers can be bad, Ebel said the small group can help the team become close.

  “It is always hard to be a new person coming into a team,” Ebel said. “Especially because swimming is a pretty small team, but our seniors, juniors, and sophomores are very inclusive when it comes to our new people and we just include them in all of our team meetings, talks and everything.”

Although it is the beginning of the season, Wisbey said that the team is centered on the important meets.

“Every meet is crucial, but we especially want to focus on the big meets like invitationals,” Wisbey said. “Going to state is important for the team and we really want to focus on being prepared for these meets so we can perform at the top of our game and deliver qualifying times. 

Fields said another important swim meet the team emphasizes on is league. 

“Generally, the meets that we mainly focus on are Topeka because it is League and that is the most important meet of the season,” Fields said. “League is the last time anyone can qualify for state, which is why it is so important.“

Fields also said that meets are important, but being supported is what matters the most.

“We want everyone to want to come to practice and do their best while feeling the support from the entire team,” Fields said.