After months of early mornings, extreme practices, and fervent meets, several of our students have been qualified to compete and represent Tompkins High School at state level. 

Many people wonder, ‘What are the specific prerequisites and requirements to reach state level?’ In order to be considered for state, swimmers first must advance through districts and regionals, which is one of the most competitive steps involved.

“To make state, you must first place in the top six in the respective event at districts to qualify for regions. At regions, you must either make the top two in the event, or be one of the next fastest eight people in the entire state that did not make the automatic top two qualifier,” Colin Gray said.

Many swimmers worldwide gained their love for the sport during their childhood, however, despite being young, they persevered through the physical demands and challenges that swimming requires, which deepened and solidified their passion to the sport even more.

​“I first got involved with swimming when I was seven. My first swim team was a summer league team back in Louisiana, from there, I joined a year around team and fell in love with the sport. I could say any awards or times that I’ve made, but honestly, I would say that my biggest accomplishment within swimming is sticking with the sport even when I didn’t want to. Swimming is hard because you’re constantly compared with yourself and your own times constantly, and staying through all of the plateaus when I thought I was never going to improve or that my work wasn’t showing up in my sport is what I’m most proud of myself for,” junior Alia Powers said.

Nonetheless, school work and other activities don’t bypass swimming, the swimmers have to manage through their school and personal life too, which is often a struggle.

“Balancing school and practice is not easy, especially when taking advanced courses and swimming in high school and club practices every day. It takes lots of time committed to doing both that a lot of people typically wouldn’t like to give up,” junior Catherine Gray said.

With stabilizing school and home life, partaking in extra curricular activities, and practicing nonstop for greater opportunities, an overwhelming pressure is put onto the Tompkins varsity swim team.

“I definitely feel the pressure, I am on two relays, so a lot depends on whether I specifically do good or not, especially when the difference of winning and losing can be .1 of a second,” freshman Dhriti Upadhyaya, said.

As the Tompkins varsity swim team heads to state, they carry the struggles of a full-time athlete and student, as well as vigorous tension and eyes on them. However, as long as they have each other to rely on, they’ll prevail in the end.