The Asbury swim team is in the pool again and is preparing for their 2023-2024 season.
Last Monday, the men and women began their rigorous practices encompassing nearly 14 hours a week.
It includes standard practice, weights for an hour, swimming for an hour three days a week and core and dry land conditioning.
“As we are halfway through our second week of practice, we are all working hard in the pool and in the weight room,” senior women’s captain Maria Poll said. “It can be hard to practice so often and in the mornings, but my teammates help encourage me to continue to do my best.”
Last year, the teams finished their season “the best way” Coach Duncan could imagine. During the final day of the Liberal Arts Conference Championship, they earned six Conference Champion Titles, a new school record. According to Asbury Athletics, they also put up five season-best times and 11 lifetime-best times.
For Head Coach Graham Duncan, the results were encouraging and a fantastic achievement for their team.
“We had a great overall meet, but our best day was the last day,” Duncan said. “As a coach, I love that because our best day was when everyone was tired, but that gives us room to improve earlier in the meet.”
Senior men’s captain Ian Wang was one of the Conference Champion Titles for the Men’s 200 Breaststroke with a lifetime best of 2:04.99. This year, he is looking to do even better.
“I am hoping to lower my 100 Breaststroke school record and to break the 200 breast to sweep the breaststroke event records, Wang said.
Poll personally finished well at conference with a title in the Women’s 200 Butterfly with a season-best time of 2:17.25.
With swim accomplishments under their belt, both captains and Duncan expressed a similar mindset to succeed in and out of the water, with the team being the focus.
“My biggest goal for the year is really to have our team grow together,” Duncan said. “This year, for me, is a lot about capitalizing on what we have on the team this year and also looking to lay a great foundation for the future.”
“My mindset has definitely shifted from solely individual goals to a more community-based approach,” Wang said.
This year is Polls and Wang’s last year of swimming competitively. After 15 years for Poll, her personal goals are more about her memories involving the sport.
“I would love to get a best time, but I know that when this season is over, and when I look back at my swimming experience, I’ll remember the times with my team more than my actual swimming times,” Poll said. “My goal is to soak up the time I have left with my team because they are who have made being a part of the swim team so special.
As captains, Poll and Wang have special roles on the team, and they want to have an impact on the other swimmers.
“As a captain this year, my goal is to instill higher self-identity and help everyone find the shepherd in themselves to lead the people around them,” Wang said.
“I get to walk alongside the girls and help foster the team culture,” Poll said. “It is so fun and encouraging to see how each one of the girls grows during their time at Asbury, and I love being able to be a part of their time here.”
This year, the team has the addition of eight new freshmen that have added to the team dynamic, and according to Duncan, they are “taking to collegiate swimming like fish to water.”
Both captains have high hopes for the season. Poll thinks that with the team’s talent, personalities, and character, they will do “super well.”
Wang said that “people should expect a team that is hopefully closer-knit than ever, and that fights adversity by leaning on each other.”
The teams will have their first chance to show off their skills in the Alumni Meet on Oct. 7 in the Luce pool.
“The alumni meet has been a tradition for a while, and it is super fun,” Wang said. “We race short and fun events and get to catch up with alumni and people we have swam with in the past.”
They will have their first official meet shortly after against Campbellsville Univeristy on Oct. 20.
For Wang, the first meet is more of a litmus test and something that gets him into a racing mindset.
This year, the teams are looking forward to competing with an increase in home meets, several of which are scheduled throughout Oct.