Boys Swim: Shawano hoping to battle despite inexperience

SHAWANO — The Shawano Community High School boys swim team enters the winter season with plenty of opportunities available for swimmers to step up.

Along with having to replace a couple impact swimmers from last year, coach Jeff Easter also has a big injury to overcome already as junior Camden Kroll is out for the season with a broken leg.

“We have a large number of participants this year, many of which are fairly new to swimming,” said Easter. “While we have enough bodies to fill all the events, we will be looking to the newer swimmers to improve quickly and give the team a boost.

Back from last year’s team, which posted a 5-5 record in the Great Northern Conference, is Peter Fuller.

The senior had the team’s top finish at the conference meet, finishing second in the 500-yard freestyle.

“Every swim team is different, and this one happens to have many new swimmers,” said Fuller of this year’s team. “I have learned through the years you just have to deal with the team given to you. For new swimmers, it is important to instill the basics of swimming. The fundamentals of every stroke, starts and turns. Then just continue to work with them and encourage them.”

Sophomore Josh Bergmann returns after finishing fifth in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 100 backstroke at the GNC Meet as a freshman.

Also back for the team is senior Wylee Springborn, juniors Michael Dickmann and Carson Cummings and sophomore Jack Reed. All four of those athletes helped the team out at the conference meet last season.

Springborn was on a couple strong-finishing relay teams, along with taking fifth as an individual in the 50 freestyle. Dickmann, Cummings and Reed all helped fill out relay teams.

“Some of our team goals are getting our young team into shape fast and having good technique,” said Bergmann, who would like to place in the top three in his events at the GNC Meet and in the top four at sectionals. “Obviously, we want to win and place high is as many meets as possible, but more specifically, just constantly improving those times as often as we can.

“To reach this achievements, I believe that we need to maintain a positive and hopeful attitude throughout the season, give consistent effort every day in and out of the pool, and paying attention and trying to perfect our swimming technique as best as we can.”

Several of the returning swimmers also turned in strong results as sectionals to cap last season.

Fuller came in third in the 500 freestyle, while Bergmann helped the 200 medley relay team take fourth. Both swimmers were on the fourth-place finishing 400 freestyle relay team.

“As a team, one of our main goals is to win as many meets as possible. But more important than that, to do our best every time. This can be achieved through positive mindset, perseverance, hard work and determination,” said Fuller, who noted his individual goal is to cut time and get faster in the pool.

As the team gears up for the season, it does so knowing the GNC is loaded with talent.

Easter expects every conference opponent — Rhinelander, Tomahawk, Lakeland, Medford and Antigo — to be tough ones.

The team is set to open the regular season on Tuesday, hosting Medford. The conference meet is set for Feb. 7 in Rhinelander.

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