NU swim team strives to improve for next season

By Anthony Lanza
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

John Moore has been swimming since he was in seventh grade. He swam modified seventh grade, and swam on the varsity team when he was in eighth grade.

"I was the swim team captain my junior and senior year." Moore said. "Wanting to be a naval officer really had nothing to do with me wanting to be on the swim team throughout high school and, so far, throughout college."

Moore, 19, is one of the many talented swimmers on the swim team here at Norwich University. Looking back at this past season, the team did well but still needs to improve in some areas, according to team members.

Head Coach Stephen Looke said that the swim team has been here at Norwich since 1965, and there are about 14 people on the men's swim team this year.

Swim meets are not coed; the men swim against the men, and the women swim against the women.

"Swimmers train in a multitude of ways and in a multitude of areas; we would never have two of the same practices throughout the entire year," Looke said. "In general terms the team works on their technique and being as smooth and powerful as they can.

"We work on strength and power in the water, and we also work on breath control," Looke said. "As in any other sport, you're working on technique, strength, and power."

Depending on what events each swimmer swims, you would prepare them a little differently, Looke said. "It takes a lot of time in the water to really prepare to race in the water successfully; it's like any sport, because you got to put in your preparation work before you're ready to compete at your best."

"The swim team this year was particularly strong at the 200 medley relay," Moore said. "We have a good backstroke swimmer, breaststroke swimmer, flyer, and a good freestyle swimmer."

"I think for our men this year we were good at all of our events." Looke said. "We had one really strong swimmer in just about every event, two or three guys that are still developing, and covered a lot more."

"I was pretty good at the 500, which is about 20 lengths of the pool," said Colt Brumm, 18, a peace war and diplomacy major from Houston, Tex. "I swam a little in high school, and it seemed a really good sport to help build endurance."

"We have a bunch of really talented people on the team this year, so really we just need more people," Brumm said. "When we went to New England we only had five guys, and one got injured. Most of the teams had eight or nine people, and we still got fifth out of 16 teams."

"I think the team this year really maximized their abilities. Everyone performed as well as they could," Looke said. "What we need help on is getting more people; we need five or six more competitors to bring us back to the top."

"I was not on the swim team this season. I had to leave early in the season because of things like cadre that took most of my time," said Jonathan Swierat, 20, a peace war and diplomacy major from Hopewell Junction, N.Y. "I think the swim team did improve since last year because the team had gotten new talent, and the team will continue to grow in talent and expertise."

"For me, the only thing I really wanted to work on was getting the school record for the 50 fly," Moore said. "I came close a couple times, but unfortunately at New England I dislocated my shoulder at the time trials for the 50 fly, so I didn't get it."

We will have to wait and see what the team is like next year before we set any goals for next season, Looke said. "What I look for is that everyone on the team improves. That's what my goal is, and wherever that takes the team, that takes us."

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