Now in its third year, the WCA Eagle Swim Team has started to move into new territory: the participation of swimmers in varsity level meets. Until this year, swimmers were limited to participate in Junior Varsity level meets, but the talent level in the upper school swimmers has now reached a point where the team can send multiple swimmers to varsity competitions.

“Although our oldest swimmers could probably have swum at the varsity level last year, it was very important to us in the founding years of the program with fewer swimmers to build team chemistry,” explains program coordinator and JV Coach Jeff Sullivan, “This year, however, we have numbers to have a good showing at both levels of meet.” The team has steadily grown from 7 swimmers its first year, to 12 swimmers this year. Three of the swimmers, Kaitlyn Sullivan, Lainey Flanagan and Zane Eckols are at the varsity level and 8th graders Cheyenne Silverio and Gisele Duval are varsity-eligible, but will compete mainly in JV meets. 7th-grader Delaney Gibbons, who is already VISAA State Championship qualified in 4 events, will be eligible for varsity competition next season.

“Unfortunately we lost one of our varsity level swimmers so that our girls basketball team could remain viable,” Sullivan explained. “If we still have her we probably have a girls relay that could qualify for the state championship meet. Next year with the swimmers we have coming up, we most certainly will.” Flanagan and Sullivan are already qualified for the state championship meet in multiple events, with Sullivan having nearly made finals in both her swum events last year as an 8th grader.

Also among the swimmers on the team are two of WCA’s International Program students from China, Mike Yu and Bruce Zhou. Coach Anne Anderson and Coach Sullivan have been challenged with the language barrier, but despite that, have seen an immense improvement in these swimmers already. “They are literally almost 300% better in the three weeks we’ve been coaching them.”

The team practices at the new WISC Aquatic center and is still open to any WCA student wishing to improve their swimming skills in a fun and supportive environment. Both the JV and Varsity groups will compete this Saturday. The varsity swimmers will compete at the St. Catherine’s Invitational, and the JV will swim in the Candy Cane Invitational, both in Richmond.