The RHS swim team has welcomed a new coach and is working to meet their goals for the season, accommodating many new swimmers.
Head coach Deanne Pastva talked about what the team’s main goals are and how they hope to do this season.

“The biggest goal that we have is to be undefeated as a team, and to get our swimmers to States. Another goal would be to have all of our first year swimmers improve over the season,” Pastva said.

New assistant coach Robin Dever, a middle childhood education professor at Kent State, now coaches new swimmers who just joined the RHS team this season.

“We have a lot of people who have never swum competitively, so we are just trying to get them to understand the basics,” Dever said.

Alexandria Shockey, junior and captain of the swim team, Revealed what she hopes the team will accomplish this year.

“I hope we will place well in Suburban League and do our best in Sectionals. Our focus is to be more of a team,” Shockey said.

Pastva said that junior Ben Mullaly and sophomore Sam Darwish have “great potential” to qualify for the State meet this year. Mullaly expressed the importance of this.

“States is like the ultimate achievement of the season. When you put in so much work, it would be a shame to not see it pay off,” Mullaly said.

With many new members on the team, Pastva explained the roles she hopes the team’s older and experienced members will take on.
“One of the main focuses is to do more team building and team bonding. We plan on having a system where a veteran will monitor a rookie so they know what to do in meets,” Pastva said.

Senior Ryan Gross discussed what he feels is necessary as a captain of the team.

“I try to help the new swimmers the best that I can. I remember when I started my freshman year, that was the toughest year, and I’m glad that I had people to look up to and help me,” Gross said.

Pastva mentioned some of the activities the team does outside of practice during the season.

“Every year the boys get together before Christmas time, and they bleach their hair . . . . Every year before Districts [the guys] have a shaving party where they shave [their heads],” Pastva said.

Sahan Kiridena, a junior and team captain, said that the team does weightlifting at RHS on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Dever explained that the team practices based on which strokes they are to perform in meets.

“The team is split into four strokes: backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly. There are different distances that depend on how fast or far you can go. Sprinters go fast in shorter distances, and distance swimmers can go for longer intervals,” Dever said.

Seniors on the team this year include Gross, Luke Mierzejewski and Gabriella Medvick.

The team’s next meet will take place at Copley at 4:30 on January 8th.