Shawano/Bonduel girls swim team striving for better finish in Bay

SHAWANO — The Shawano/Bonduel co-op and Clintonville girls swim teams head into the fall season with improvement on their minds and new coaches at the helm.

Both teams will hit the water for their first meets later this week.

Shawano/Bonduel

Gina Monfils is the team’s new coach, and she hopes to lead the team to more success within the Bay Conference.

“Our season has started with strong commitment and dedication demonstrated daily at practice,” said Monfils. “Therefore, I predict that our overall team grit, drive and determination will assist us in moving up the ranks within our conference.”

The team ended the 2018 season by finishing last at the Bay Conference Championship meet before taking 14th at sectionals. But the team is optimistic heading into the season with the return of several experienced swimmers.

Elizabeth Dillenburg heads into the season as the most experienced senior. The team has 10 seniors on the roster.

“I’m very excited for this year,” said senior Alexis Ramirez. “I love coach Monfils, and she is really good at what she does. She’s really honest with us and loves to take feedback. It’s a big change for our team that I think everyone enjoys, and we are excited to see how much better we are going to do at sectionals, in relays and in conference versus last year. I think we can do much better.”

Isabel Colon and Macy Monfils are back after strong sophomore years in the pool.

Sophomore Gabi Bukowski returns after a promising first year of varsity competition. Fellow sophomore Anne Carrier was named the team’s most improved swimmer last fall.

Coach Monfils will also be looking for several other swimmers to step up this season. A total of 23 swimmers were on the roster during the first few practices of the season.

“We will be placing some emphasis on stroke development to hopefully increase our number of medley swimmers,” said coach Monfils. “A new feature for this year for us as a team is to focus on individual and weekly goal setting, where our athletes learn to critique themselves and to develop goals that go beyond their comfort level.”

After competing in the Bay Conference, Shawano/Bonduel will compete in the Division 1 Hudson sectional, a new venue from previous seasons.

The team’s first meet comes at an invitational in Wisconsin Rapids on Thursday. The co-op will host its first meet Aug. 29 against Wausau East.

Monfils replaces Hanson

Monfils replaced Sharon Hanson as the team’s coach.

Monfils spent the last two seasons as an assistant under Hanson, who was a part of the coaching staff for a total of seven years.

Under Hanson, the team won a conference title in 2012. That year, the team also finished 10th at state, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the coach’s most memorable moment during her tenure took place.

“We came into that meet (conference championship) in third place,” said Hanson. “Not only did every swimmer score, but in order to win, we had to shut down two teams. Our ladies knew who they had to beat within their heat in order to give us the points we needed and eliminate the points the other teams could get. There was strategy through the entire meet, and all my swimmers did just what I told them to do.”

“It came down to the last relay with three teams not knowing who would win the meet and who would have enough points to finish with enough points to snatch the championship. Now that was an exciting 400 free relay! I was so proud of my team and how they worked together to win 2014 conference champions.”

Hanson, who had high praise for coach Monfils, said she was honored to coach both of her daughters, Ali and Madi, and that she was ready to spend more time with her husband, Gary, as she steps away from coaching.

Clintonville

Robyn Bartal is the new head coach for Clintonville, replacing Stephanie Stilen.

Clintonville finished sixth at the conference meet last year before taking 11th at sectionals.

Sami Smejkal, who was named the 2018 swimmer of the year in the Bay, has graduated. But Clintonville returns several other experienced swimmers to the pool.

Junior Brianna Foth will lead the way. She finished third in the conference in the 500-yard freestyle last year.

Juniors Willow Skar and Kelli Smith and sophomore Bella Koeppen are also hoping for more success representing the Truckers, who will host the conference meet Oct. 31.

Clintonville opens the season Saturday competing in an invitational in Marinette. The Truckers first home meet will be against Marinette on Sept. 12.

The team will then swim in the Division 2 Plymouth sectional.