The Elizabethtown College women’s swim team is looking to step it up this year as it enters the Landmark Conference. The team hopes that between their seasoned captains, talented first-years and increased workout schedule, they will be able to take on their new competition.
One of the team’s co-captains is fifth-year Kimberly Cosgrove. After missing a season from studying abroad, Cosgrove is back in action. She believes the team’s work ethic will be their ace in the hole this season. “We’re stepping it up a bunch more this year. We’re doing more lifting and more intense practices to get up to the level of the other Landmark Conference teams,” Cosgrove said.
Because the team moved into the Landmark Conference this season, the competition will likely be fiercer. “[The competition is] at a higher caliber than us right now, but we’re definitely working to improve and become better so that we can match up against them,” Cosgrove said.
The team is attempting to raise their performance this season by putting in the extra time and trying new methods of practice. “We’re lifting three mornings a week, which is something new from before,” Cosgrove said, explaining that in previous seasons, swimmers would lift when their schedules allowed. “We have two morning practices a week for in-the-water training, which is really great for distance swimmers. We’re also trying new types of practices in the afternoon to just try and gain more strength. We started a week earlier this year just doing captains’ practices, and we’re hoping that extra week of work will show at the end of the season and definitely throughout the season.”
The team’s first-years are also aiming to benefit the team. “I think the season is going to go really well,” first-year Molly Templin said. “I know the team has tried to step it up this season. It’s certainly a step up from high school swimming.”
“We have a large first-year class coming in, and I think with the difference in their training from what they received in high school, they’ll see a lot of growth, so I think that we’re going to be a really strong team this year, stronger than we’ve been in the past,” alumna Megan Leppo said in a video on the Elizabethtown Athletics’ website.
The uncertainty of the season will not affect the dedication of the team. “I don’t really know a lot about the other teams in the conference because we never really swam them, so it’s kind of a new experience for the team,” Cosgrove said. “We don’t know what to expect, but we’re going to put our best effort forward at every meet.”
