The Wayne Hills Swim team received its confirmation to carry on with its season this year and it is full of excited new swimmers eager to get in the water with tryouts starting Monday, February 1st.

The season looks different this year with the Covid restrictions, but head coaches Shale and Bayliss are not letting this deter them. Starting off, the boys and girls practices are separated this year with each team alternating between the first practice at 1:30-2:30 and later practice at 2:30-3:30. The pool time is split with the Wayne Valley swim team at the Wayne YMCA leading to the team only being able to have practices every other day. The practices are also shortened this year, with the boys and girls team each getting one hour compared to the usual 2 hour shared practices.

“Swim looks very different this year, and I am nervous, but also excited to see how everything plays out,” Senior John Szczepanski remarked.

Locker Rooms are closed off for the swimmers and there will be no buses for transportation needs to practice. Another difference is the possiblity of incorporating out of water workouts or “dryland” into practice times so there are not too many swimmers in one lane. On days off, swimmers could also have workouts outside the pool as well. At meets, swimmers are also going to be marshalled out onto the pool deck so there is not an overload of people on the pool deck at any time.

“Although it is not the season anyone expected, I’m still excited to get back in the pool and swim with my teammates,” Senior Elizabeth Shubaderov shared.

The swimmers on the team are grateful and seem hopeful for the new season. Disregarding minor bumps on the road, like the new school schedule cutting into practice times and the swimmers possibly having to leave school early, the swim team seems well prepared and ready to take on the 2021 season.