Alexander de la Peña, former NCAA Division III Head Coach at Monmouth College in Illinois, took the job as head coach of the Revere swim team this year. Peña has focused on specifying goals and expectations for the program. Athletically, the team concentrates more on technique before focusing on the tougher portion of the training. Peña voiced his hopes for the upcoming swim season.

“Our goal is to place as high at the Suburban League meet as possible, send as many swimmers as we can to districts and states, and have as many swimmers as possible achieve best times by the end of the season,” Peña said.

Peña described the need for a reform in the swim team lettering policy.

“Participation at practices is critically important for the success of the individual and the team. The athletes needed to be held more accountable for being a part of the team,” Peña said.

In the past, the swim team’s lettering policy consisted of 65 percent attendance to practice and members must score 20 points throughout the season, score points at the sectional meet or qualify for the district meet. Peña explained his reform to the lettering policy.

“The athletes need to score 30 points for the team and attend at least 80 percent of the team practices. I want the athletes to feel they have to earn the varsity letter,” Peña said.

Senior Justin Burrell-Miller, a member of the Revere swim team for three years, shared his thoughts and expectations for the new season.

“I just want everyone to be able to try their best and make sure [they are] succeeding in their own personal goals. To me it really [does not] matter if we win our meets, I would rather just have people meet their own expectational goals,” Burrell-Miller said.

Burrell-Miller described his favorite part of being on the swim team, along with his excitement for a swim team tradition, hair bleaching and shaving.

“During the season [it is] really nice just to have people that you can talk to because they literally become your family. [We are] always together and always doing fundraisers together and [we] have all these parties. [We have one] for bleaching and shaving,” Burrell-Miller said.

Burrell-Miller talked about the future of the swim team. He believes the swim team gets recognition, but not nearly as much as other winter sports. Burrell-Miller also shared his thoughts on the new swim coach.

“I think [he is] going to be a really good improvement to our team. He does things a lot different than our last coach. [It is] nice to get a different view on how we practice . . . . He cares more about your form than your time,” Burrell-Miller said.

Revere’s new athletic director Tom McKinnon oversees athletic coaches, schedules, transportation and facilities for the swim team. This year is McKinnon’s first year as an athletic director for a school with a swim team; he elaborated on how he will support the swim team.

“This is my first go around with swim. At my previous [athletic director] role we did not have swim, so [I am] starting to learn more and more about swim. Right now we are trying to find a computer for the swim team, so [we are] really trying to support and give our new coach what he needs,” McKinnon said.

A panel, including McKinnon, was involved in choosing a new coach for the swim team. The panel interviewed various people before discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and making a selection. McKinnon explained that de la Peña was a very easy pick.

The swim team started practice on the fourth of November. As a Division II team they compete in various meets against other high school swim teams in events such as the 50 free, the 100 free, the 100 back, the 50 back, IM orders, and relay races. The swim team practices at the Lifestyles, a health and wellness center in Montrose. Members of the swim team wake up for weight training at 6:00 am on Tuesdays and Fridays. Additionally, they practice every day from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The swim team’s next meet is a home meet on January 4.