The smell of chlorine permeates the air as excited chatter fills the stands. Boys from across Ohio take their starting positions on a row of spring boards. Once the official gives the signal, cheers erupt as the athletes dive into the water. 

     The boys state swim meet has begun. 

     For the first time since the pandemic, the GlenOak Swim Team qualified for state. 

     “Being able to go to state and see what elite swimming looks like is an experience I’ll never forget,” sophomore alternate Alex Click said. 

     The other team members included junior Matt Calvert and seniors Layne Studer, Jacob Harms and Blayne Maurer. The boys were entered for the 200m freestyle relay, sticking to practicing five days a week.  

     “At the end of the day it is a huge time commitment,” Harms said. “I mean it’s an hour a day to lift [weights] in the morning then two and a half at night. That’s three and a half hours a day for four months.” 

     The love for the sport may be what inspires people to join, but the overall environment and bond with teammates and coaches is what compels so many to stay. 

     “It’s hard work,” Maurer said. “A lot of yards and swimming, but also a lot of fun.”

     The same as any other sport, joining the swim team is a big commitment.

      Finding a balance between school and practice can get a little overwhelming, but these students managed to keep their heads above water and make it work. 

     To qualify for the state tournament, you have to make it through sectionals and districts first. There are no qualifying times to determine which relay teams advance to the tournament, so athletes have to rely on their knowledge of previous winning times to help them.

     “Seeing that time go up that we knew would probably go to state was just electric,” Harms said. “We were excited the whole week about it.” 

     In the end, the boys’ efforts paid off, placing 19th in relay and 17th overall. 

     “It was great to see the team get there after all the work they put in,” Click said.