The swim and dive boys and girls varsity and boys junior varsity team won their first dual meet against Wilcox at home on Feb. 27 at 4:00 p.m. Student-athletes from Milpitas and Wilcox competed against each other in individual and team events, with MHS making 3 CCS cuts on the boys varsity team.
At the meet, student-athletes held group pep-talks and chants to kick off the first meet with good energy. Swimmers coached each other through their events and cheered for teammates in every event.The pool deck was also filled with volunteer timers, parents, and friends who came to support the teams.
In this first dual meet, Kerem Bakmaz qualified for CCS in the 100-yard backstroke, and Forrest Lin qualified for the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke, assistant coach Kathryn Peterson said.
“The swimmers are resilient, so I trust that they are going to work hard and get great times, rain or shine,” Peterson said.
Varsity captain and junior Aidan Cool felt good about his first meet and was excited to see his times for each event, he said.
“We haven’t been timing all my events during practice,” Cool said. “I’m excited to see (how I do). I’m swimming the 50 free, 500 free, 200 free medley, and 400 free relay.”
Sophomore and varsity swimmer Forrest Lin said he had not checked out the swimmers from Wilcox and that he was not very concerned about them.,.
“I’m just trying to make CCS today,” Lin said.
Senior and varsity swimmer Carly Nguyen was also very happy with her events and believed she could do every event she was given, she said.
“I think all the schools in our league are a lot better than us, so I’m a little scared, but it’s all for fun,” Nguyen said.
When watching the swimmers, Peterson enjoys the butterfly events, though she also finds the sprints, distance, and everything in between fun to watch, she said.
“Swimming was a huge part of my life growing up, and some of my best memories are from the swim team,” Peterson said. “Some of the people I’m closest to today are people I know from the swim team. So, swimming really has a special place in my heart.”
