As water splashes onto the pool deck and swimmers glide down the lanes, everyone lies on the tips of their toes to see who will smack the final wall first. This suspense, combined with the competitive nature of swimming, creates an environment of dedication and a drive to excel among.
On Sat. Nov. 1, the Texas High TigerSharks competed in Tyler, Texas, against JJ Pierce and Tyler Legacy, two 6A teams. The Tyler Tri Meet helps prepare these athletes for bigger competitions as they get the opportunity to try new techniques without risking placement at a large meet.
“My main goals for the Tyler meet included [going faster] underwater and improving my breaststroke breakouts because that’s the part that’s really lacking in my stroke,” senior Lilian LeFors said. “I wanted to make sure to improve that at an early meet, so later on they’ll be good.”
Besides extra time in the water, the Tyler Tri Meet provides the TigerSharks with an opportunity to compete against two high-performing 6A teams.
“Swimming against bigger 6A teams means a higher level of competition early in the season,” assistant coach Susan Likins said. “This helps us get our heads on right and prepare for tough competition as we progress towards championship season.”
Along with the extra competition, the weather played its own special effect on the athletes. The TigerSharks must adapt to the elements at the Tyler Tri meet, their only outdoor competition of the year.
“Overall, it was a pretty slow meet because it was so cold outside,” senior Maya Olson said. “It was really hard to stay warm and keep your muscles ready to go and swim fast, so we didn’t have as much explosive speed as we usually do.”
Because of its proximity to big meets like the Frisco TISCA Invitational, the Tyler Tri meet gives the team a chance to evaluate their swims and see what aspects need the most work.
“This meet served as a bit of a wake-up call, honestly. We had some decent swims but [also] had some other swims that showed us where we might be a little too relaxed [in] our training,” Likins said. “It also showed us, as coaches, some weak spots where we might need to switch up or even line up some of our athletes.”
