Revolving captains boost leadership
SWIM: The Brahmas faced preseason challenges, as they attempted to integrate a new system of leadership at every meet.
April 13, 2016
The Diamond Bar High School varsity swim team faces new challenges as it deals with leadership changes made this year. Instead of having the traditional role of one team captain, who is in charge for the season, the swim team has established weekly team and meet captains.
Since the captain position hasn’t been removed completely, the role has been made available for different swimmers throughout the season. With the new adjustment, multiple Brahmas are given the opportunity and responsibility of managing their team. However, it is still possible for one swimmer to hold the captain position more than once.
“It’s been working better, in my opinion, they actually get the kids in for their warm up and everything, and we have a good cheer at each meet because we do the brahma spell out at each meet, and they’ve been doing that,” assistant coach Melissa Gabriel said.
Furthermore, at each swim meet, there is an assigned meet captain placed in charge of managing the team. Due to having more experience, club swimmers are usually assigned as meet captains.
Despite facing the change in the leadership system, the team still faces many challenges among its swimmers.
“It’s the lack of team identity and team pride; people who join just put it on their college apps, they don’t care,” sophomore Michael Lee said, regarding his biggest challenge as a previous meet captain, “I just try to stay positive and get everyone hyped and included.”
Although Walnut High School’s swim team and Diamond Bar’s swim team are not competing within the same league, the Brahmas struggled to secure a win at the home meet last month.
Additionally, the boys swim team’s toughest opponent this season was defeating Santiago High School, while the girls’ biggest challenge is facing Ayala High School and Glendora High School.
“Our team is pretty strong this year, but we had some pretty good senior swimmers move out last year,” sophomore Brian Li said. “The numbers are pretty balanced and we still need to work hard, but it’s not like we gained more than we lost.”
Currently, the team holds a 1-0 record in its league, defeating South Hills High School in its first league meet. However, at the Brahmas’ most recent meet against Santiago, the boys team managed to secure a win, but the girls team lost.
“We’re hoping to improve on girls as far as their record,” coach Gabriel said. “We lost to Ayala and Glendora last year and were hoping to at least be with them, and if not, beat them.”
