The 2022 girls swim and dive season has finally come to an end. This year has been a roller coaster of emotions for the team and although it was a rocky year, the team never gave up.

The team finished their season with a record of 3-13 but were still able to send seven of their girls all the way to the state meet. Although the girls had some unfortunate results at the state meet, senior Sydney VanLente is grateful to have been a part of the team.

“I met some of my best friends this season and going to college without them is going to be hard,” Sydney said. “They truly gave me an amazing senior year and they are the reason I keep swimming.”

The freshman class brought a huge positive impact to the team this year. Maggie Holt, Allison Meny, and Mady Scarlato were three of the seven girls that went to the state competition. These three girls have been proving their talent to everyone since day one. In their first invitational of the season, all three girls placed in the top ten athletes in almost every event they competed in. They continued to stay consistent throughout the year and will have a huge impact on the program in the future. During their first year on the team, the girls spent a lot of time together making amazing memories and close bonds with each other that will last a lifetime.

“My favorite memory was from the day before states when Sydney, Nora, Allison, Maggie and I went to paint the rock at the school. It was really cold and snowy but it was so fun and by the end, no one could feel their fingers.” Mady said. “I am really going to miss the leadership Sydney brought to this team but I am excited to act as a role model for the incoming freshman.”

Unfortunately, a commonly overlooked part of the team is the six divers. Freshman Audrey VanSkiver, juniors Jia Niemeyer, Taylor Greemann, Lily Zorn, and Racheal Yeager, and senior Payton Dailey along with their new coach, Joe Mish, have put countless hours into perfecting all of their complex dives. These six girls not only help bring points to themselves, but they help contribute to the team scores. Without them, the energy-boosting sweep against Holland at the beginning of the season wouldn’t have been possible. The divers help keep everyone in high spirits and always encourage the rest of the team.

“One of my favorite memories from this season was when a lot of my teammates came to regionals to support me,” Rachael said. “They really helped keep me motivated.”

While the season didn’t go quite as planned, the team’s hard work and dedication helped the team come closer than ever before. A special thank you to seniors Sydney VanLente, Annie Douma, and Payton Dailey, you will all be dearly missed from this team. Good luck next year to all incoming and returning FHC swimmers and divers!