A new season calls for new beginnings. After a loss to Francis Lewis High School ended their season last year, Townsend Harris’s girls varsity swim team has finally sealed a win over their toughest rivals to start the month.
The Turtles didn’t stop there, going on to win their next two games and maintain their undefeated score of 5-0. Scoring their first win against Queens HS for Science at York College, followed by a win over Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, and another next three against Francis Lewis, Bayside High School, and Long Island City, the Turtles have overmatched every team in their division.
Although the team lost some talented swimmers who graduated last year, the underclassmen have nonetheless been able to step up and contribute to the team’s success.
Senior captain Alexis Sarabia says, “Everyone has been working really hard at practices, and it shows at our meets. I’m really proud of how well my team has been doing, and I know we’re going to continue working hard.”
Junior Alexandra Ge also acknowledged the dedication of the team. She credits the team’s victory over Francis Lewis to the unity of the team in particular. She says, “Unlike many other sports, we spend a lot of time on public transport trying to get to the pool and back, and we spend a lot of time in the pool together. We’re a tight-knit group of Turtles, and we just have talented swimmers. On top of that, we also have girls who are focused and dedicated to get better.”
The girls, who practice at Franklin K Lane in Brooklyn, turn to each other for support in games as well. Alexandra continues, “We don’t get recognized or get people to come out and support our games since the locations are far away, so we do the best we can as a team to cheer each other on.”
The swimmers agree that their latest wins have boosted the team’s morale. This confidence will surely be helpful for the team’s future games, as they can use their winning streak as a motivating factor to win Borough Champs and place well at playoffs.
According to Alexis, “Based on how we’re doing so far, I feel confident that we can achieve this goal.” In terms of individual goals, she hopes that all of the swimmers can overcome their fear of losing or letting others down. She continues, “I want the girls to swim their hardest and have fun doing it.”
