Competitions force athletes to be the best they can be. Team spirit unifies players and motivates players to work even harder. Friendly rivalries provide a way to enjoy oneself while pushing each other to their limits.
The Carlmont Blue and Gray meet combined all three of these with an intrasquad swim event before the first meets of the season.
The meet came down to the wire, with the Blue team winning 449-448. Although the Gray team received points for their team spirit, it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Points for sportsmanship were awarded because they reflect the meet’s core values of building strong team bonds.
“I feel like I have more of a responsibility to help lead the team now. We call it lane love, it’s when you’re hyping up your teammates and pushing them to be better,” said Emma Elliott, a sophomore at Carlmont.
With so many incoming freshmen, initiating them into the program can be a daunting task. By structuring the intrasquad meet just like how a real event plays out, an environment is provided to new swimmers where they can learn from their mistakes.
“Having the rest of the team cheer me on and get us all pumped up is a great way to prepare for our first meet,” said Dylan Lobo, a Carlmont freshman.
The Scots will have their first real meet of the season on March 6, when they face off against Mills. Mills was one of the few teams able to come close to beating Carlmont last season, though all of Carlmont’s swim teams have won CCS for the past two years. Boys varsity has won CCS four years in a row and looks to keep their streak going this year.
“I think we’ve had a lot of talent coming through here. We’ve had people doing the hard work to better themselves. We’ve got the enthusiasm and everything else that we need,” said Fred Farley, the JV coach.
Besides boosting team spirit and training newcomers, the meet also raised awareness for the Clara Tao scholarship. This scholarship was created to honor Clara as a role model of Carlmont swim. She and her two daughters played on the Carlmont team. Throughout her many years in the program, she touched the lives of many swimmers.
Combining team spirit and friendly competition with a good cause, the Blue and Gray meet continues to teach incoming classes of swimmers while honoring generations past.
