Girls swimming: Cougar seniors hope for charmed performances at final state meet

Spectators at a Niwot High School girls’ swimming event can watch while relay teams engaging in a familiar pre-race ritual.

Alexa Sander, Laura Farrar and Lily Yie, talk between laps during Niwot's practice at the YMCA in Longmont on Tuesday, Feb. 2. Lindsay J. C. Lack photo

“Our relay has a huddle we do every time before we race. We just get together and put our arms around each other and say something,” senior Alexa Sander says.

For the 14 seniors on the team, the conference and state meets Feb. 12-13  represent the last time they will compete in a high-school swimming event.

Head coach Sarah Heller has noticed that the seniors on this year’s team have taken on a variety of roles. Some swimmers provide vocal leadership while others lead by example.

“We have a lot of seniors who are making friends with the younger girls and teaching them the ropes,” Heller says.

For senior Lily Yie, the fact that her Cougar swimming career is winding down provides extra motivation.

“It is my last high school meet ever, so I really want to look towards getting personal records. It really pushes me in practice to do what I can to make sure I’m on top of my game at the end,” Yie says.

Senior Laura Farrar considers her final high-school season another chance to make her mark at the state meet.

“I didn’t have a very good state season last year. I’m really trying to build off of that and do the best that I can,” she says.

As always, Farrar will bring along her lucky charm: a stuffed cougar named “Mufasa.”

“It helps, it definitely helps,” she says.

Sander also follows a few superstitions and her family even gets involved in the routine.

“(Before a meet) my mom always gives me something with a ladybug on it. It’s really funny, I have a ton of ladybugs,” Sander says.

Along with good luck charms, Farrar has experience on her side.

“I’ve learned to try to keep the nerves down as best I can. There’s always a lot of competition but you’ve just got to do your best and see where it takes you,” Farrar says.

Last year’s conference meet also provided Sander with valuable experience.

“I think last year I was really stressed out over conference. I get really nervous. I’ve just learned not to stress and have fun,” Sander says.

Yie also speaks like a seasoned veteran.

“If anything, you can’t let the competition get to you. There’s a lot of pressure but you can’t let yourself get psyched out by that, just focus on yourself and your team,” she says.

As she has been honing her competitive edge, Yie has also developed close bonds with her teammates.

“With a lot of these girls, we’ve been together since our freshman year. We’ve all seen each other at our worst and also at our best,” she says.

Yie especially enjoys getting together with the team away from the pool.

“We love our pasta dinners that we have to psych up for meets, and we love going out to dinner after meets. I guess you could say we love anything that revolves around food,” Yie says.

Freshman Kylie Fischer has benefited from her older teammates.

“They make me laugh before a race, it takes a bit of the nerves off when you do that,” she says.

With help from her older teammates, Fischer has already bought into the team concept. Like many Niwot swimmers, she enjoyed the All City meet this year more than any other.

“We were all swimming for each other, because we had a chance to win. It wasn’t necessarily like you were swimming to do well yourself, it was so the team could win,” Fischer says.

Sander remembers the team’s first dual meet in early December, when her teammates marveled at the long schedule ahead of them.

“I think it went by really, really fast,” she says.

Sander attends school at Dawson in Lafayette. Since her school doesn’t have a swim team, she has been a part of Niwot’s team for the last four years. Despite all of her personal success, she says her favorite part of swimming at Niwot has been the good feelings that come with being part of a team.

“I’m really going to miss my relay. Just the little things that teams do; and being able to swim with your friends rather than swimming by yourself,” Sander says.

So what do the girls say in those pre-relay huddles? Sander refuses to reveal the details.

“It’s a secret,” she answers with a laugh. “But we look forward to it every meet.”

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