Seastangs on 3! As the Myers Park Swim and Dive team prepares for their upcoming season, Kiley Wilhelm and her teammate Sofia Plaza reflect on their memories with the team. Kiley is a senior swim captain and plans to continue her academic and athletic career at Harvard next fall. Sofia is a junior and has recently verbally committed to continue her academic and athletic career at NC State. Both swimmers contributed to the 2022 NCHSAA 4A State Championship win for the women’s team, an experience they will remember forever.
Kiley notes, “One of my favorite memories was definitely last year when we won states. I remember packing up my equipment after my final relay and looking up at the scoreboard and seeing we had won. I was so surprised…It was such a surreal experience and it’s definitely something I’ll remember my whole life.”
Similarly, Sofia comments, “One of my favorite memories as a Seastang is being part of a group of girls that was able to win the state meet while also having a blast! Being around these girls and being able to celebrate was so exciting. Also, being able to be a part of the coach’s success and seeing all of their work pay off was incredible!”
Winning the State Championship title was an experience of a lifetime for these women. They are looking forward to potentially re-claiming that title for the second year this upcoming season, as well as the men’s team, who placed as state championship runner-up last year. A member of the 2022 Men’s State Championship team, senior captain and Delaware Swimming commit, Joseph Clark, also reflects on his favorite moments with the team.
“In previous years, some of my favorite memories come from the relays at meets like conference, regionals, and states. If Myers Park has a relay in the water, every single person on the team is up and cheering. It really gives the family-feel to the team and brings us closer together,” Joseph explains.
A key aspect to the Seastangs’ success is creating an upbeat, encouraging atmosphere during meets and practices. An environment where each individual swimmer, regardless of their swimming abilities, feels connected to the team is critical.
“At meets, you can tell how dedicated everyone is by the excitement…No one is worried about themselves, and while yes, everyone wants to do their best…they are just as excited about other performances as their own. The never-ending support is what sets us apart from other teams. No matter who you are, how fast you are, or what event you’re swimming, every single person is going to support you,” Joseph expresses.
Kiley further elaborates on the close-knit atmosphere by stating, “It’s absolutely amazing. My favorite events are our relays. Everyone is so genuinely excited for each other and just grateful to be swimming for Myers Park…I’m so grateful that I can represent my school and swim not only for myself but for my coaches and teammates.”
As the swim and dive team prepares for the 2022-2023 season, the senior captains and coaches, Ms. Goudes and Ms. Coyne also prioritize embracing this family-like atmosphere.
“As a team captain, I’m really looking forward to creating a tight-knit community with the swimmers. We’re such a large team that it can be hard to get to know everyone, but we’re trying to change that this year,” senior swim captain, Lena Drummond notes.
“As a captain this year I am looking forward to making the environment on the pool deck exciting and encouraging. I want everyone on the team to be happy and excited to be there,” Joseph adds.
Grab a friend and head down to the pool deck this winter to cheer on the Myers Park Swim and Dive team. With both the men’s and women’s teams stacked with talent and energy, this season is bound to be an exciting one. 1…2…3…Go Seastangs!