A new year means a new swim season, one that both the players and coaches are ready to begin. The Jesuit High School Sacramento Marauders swim team already competed in their first tournament on Feb. 28, defeating Davis High School 128-56. Last week, the Marauders won two meets, continuing a strong start for the swim team. 

The coaches of this year’s swim team now look to prevail over their rivals Oak Ridge High School and Granite Bay High School and also to maintain their position as Delta League champions. One title that the swim team did not earn last year was CIF Section Champions, and the team is looking to take that title this season.

This year, Coach Darryl Johnson, a former Jesuit coach, left the team to pursue other coaching jobs. Due to Coach Johnson’s absence, the other swim team coaches must make up for his presence on deck. 

“I think I need to improve my coaching because Darryl is no longer here,” said Head Varsity Swim Coach Michael Solander ’92. “I have to get back into more presence on the deck than I have the last few years. It’s probably me that needs to improve.”

Along with Coach Solander’s motivation to improve, the coaches have to work on conditioning the players for the upcoming season. The main goal the coaches want to focus on is building team depth.

 “We are always going to bring the full amount of people to sections, but we want to make it where we have a viable chance to score with every four that we have in an event,” said Assistant Swim Coach Chris Nissen.

Of course, along with the new ambitions of the coaches this year, swimmers must also challenge themselves to be better. 

“I’m trying to better my diet. I’m trying to just make sure that I’m stretching out so I’m becoming a better swimmer,” said swimmer Evan Byrd ’21. “I’m just going to focus on my races a little more, and not get so distracted at the meets. As for the team, I would really like to become a better lane leader because sometimes it’s really about the effort of one individual to kind of make everyone else much more motivated.” 

With the challenge of a new season before them, the coaches and the swimmers have a lot to work on, and both are committed to rising to the occasion. With their rivals ORHS and GBHS set as a target, the Marauders are looking forward to making a splash this season.

The story originated in The Plank on March 12, 2020.  Click Here to read the original article

Photo Credit: Conner Bunker '20