Its that time of year again! The OP Swim team is back in action on November 11 starting with morning practices, bright and early at 6 AM. This team sees a lot of new and old faces ready to build on the progress of last year and have a successful season. The team has a new coaching staff with Mike Bradley leading the Rams as head coach with his assistant Megan O’Connor. New freshman and upperclassmen look to boost the team’s depth charts and push the team to new heights.

The biggest change to the team this year is the addition of Head Coach Mike Bradley and Assistant Coach Megan O’Connor. The duo hopes to lead the team to success this season. Practices under this coaching staff will focus on drills to improve skills, with a healthy mix of sprinting and distance swimming. The team also has a lot of new faces. 5 Freshman join the ranks of the swim team, as well as Junior Patrick Tarka. These swimmers will help to boost the team to greater successes this season!

I asked a few returning swimmers for their opinion on the coming season, as well as their hopes for what the team can do this year:

Jack Hart, Senior: I say we go all the way to the States again, it’ll be a lot of work but if we can close out the seniors on that again then I’ll be happy (OP Swim has reached the Non-Public B State Final 2 of the past 3 years).

Nick Looney, Senior: I think we’ve got a really solid group of guys, some of the upperclassmen have been working really hard to prep and the underclassmen look promising. It should be a good one. 

Patrick Herrighty, Junior: It’s gonna be like walking into a Walmart, but you forgot to wear pants and you get attacked by security.

You can expect big things out of this team this year. OP Swimming is ready to work hard, and the addition of new swimmers and coaches will help the team reach new heights. I am very hopeful for the new season, and I can’t wait to see what we can do.