Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2009)
2009 Sports Swim Team looks to new coach, 2005 graduate, for leadership S ean P ebler With two new coaches, the Swim Team is looking for even more success than last year when only one boys' relay team qualified for State. New head coach Maclain Marsh fills the spot left by last year's head coach Phoebe Skinner. "I like him. He seems like he's going to be a great coach," Branden Brooksby, sophomore, said. "He has a serious attitude about swimming and he likes to get things done." A 2005 West Linn graduate, Marsh coached an age group swim team at Club Sport for two years. He comes from a long line of swimmers, including his father, who coached at WLHS and Southern Oregon University. "My coaches and I bring discipline and experience that I feel has been around in the past but has been missing for a couple years," Marsh said. Many of the swimmers are excited about the new season and new coaches, including senior Captain Haley McCrae. "I think they're really motivated to bring new ideas, and the difference from last year's coaches are that they want us to do well this year," McCrae said. New coaches also set new goals and aspirations for the Swimmers to succeed this season. Both the coaches and the athletes were a bit disappointed in last year's finish, and they expect to send many more athletes to the State meet this year. "I hope to improve on how I did last year, which was being an alternate at the State meet. So I want to do well at Districts, and maybe go to State as an alternate again," Brooksby said. Others are expecting big changes from the team dynamics and ideals of past years. "I'm expecting the team to change a lot from last year. I think there will be a lot more team strength, and more people aspiring to new goals," McCrae said. Photo by Libby Kara Kevin Sellers, senior, swims butterfly in a relay at the team’s first meet on Dec. 1 at Lake Oswego High School. The Three Rivers League relay meet is used as a warm up to the season. Many people believe that the team is very young and may lack experience, but Marsh thinks otherwise. "The team is a younger team but I think we are already developed. Swimming isn't a sport you just jump into, you either need to have been swimming for years or at least have had a taste," Marsh said. In its first meet at Lake Oswego High School, the team got a taste for the new season. They placed first in the mixed 800 yard Relay Medley, girls' 200 yard Butterfly Relay, boys' 200 yard Backstroke Relay and Mixed 200 yard Backstroke Relay. "The expectation that my coaches and I have for this season is to show that we are a team to pay attention to. We are going to work harder and give more than we ever have in the past," Marsh said. The team's next meet will be at Lake Oswego High School against the Milwaukie Mustangs at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10. Teamwork helps Debutantes qualify for dance championships C hrisann K im Winning their recent competition with first place in Kick and second place in the Lyrical division, the Debutantes qualified for the upcoming dance championships. Thinking of this goal every time, the girls Work not only as individuals, but as a team as well. "I love the atmosphere. Everyone is supportive of one another and wants the best for the team. You can't be in a bad mood during practices because the girls are so funny, light-hearted and caring that you just cheer right up," Elisabeth Haffner, freshman, said. "All of our coaches, Amanda Wilcox, Angie Sharpe and Karissa Hanno work together to create choreography and teach it to the team. They do an amazing job of breaking it down into sections that are easier to remember." The dance captains are Hannah Zaayer, Maggie Swalko, Alexa Miller and Sydney Nopson, seniors. The Debs dance mostly to jazz, lyrical and contemporary music. Their competitions are mainly Show Division which include props. Practices and rehearsals are on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays lasting, anywhere from two to six hours depending on how close to a competition they are. Although the team is focused on winning competitions, they also work to impress their audience. "Everyone likes to be Photo by Angie's Photography The Debs compete on their way to a first place in the Kick division and a second place in the Lyrical division at a competition at Gladstone High School on Nov. 7. The team will compete next at the Fall Category Championships on Dec. 19 at Parkrose High School. number one, but we like to do our best. Everything we give to the judges is our best.That's what drives us," Zaayer said. "We show them who we are and show them how good we actually are." So far, the Debutantes have been very successful. They catch on quickly, according to Wilcox, despite the fact that half of the girls on the team are new. They have to work together as a team, since the dances aren't judged based on individuals, but on the team as a whole. Wilcox enjoys coaching the team because of her own passion for dance in her life. "The girls learn so much more than dance on Dance Team. They learn about teamwork, leadership, trust in each other, and setting and reaching goals," Wilcox said. The Debs are practicing to compete at the Fall Category Championships on Dec. 19 at Parkrose High School. The team will compete in Kick and Lyrical divisions. S ports P hotography for all ages V cuevea. SfofcActóm /M em yite& .o. Catching West Linn n athletes in action >ball Wrestling and more... Football Basketball Volleyball GO LIONS
