Philomath High School’s second-year swim coach, Iliana Kaiser, believes there could be strength in numbers when it comes to the Warriors seeing progress in the pool this season.
Kaiser admitted to being a little nervous when she had only nine signed up for swimming with practice set to begin a couple of days later. But a last-minute flurry of registrations skyrocketed the number to 35 with 20 girls and 15 boys. The rosters even include three sets of twins.
“We have a lot of swimmers who have never been on a swim team before so it’s a lot of nerves,” Kaiser said, adding that Wednesday’s season opener at home against Crosshill Christian, Westside Christian and Taft will serve as an introduction for many of them on what to expect in an actual meet.
Senior Henry Katsikis and sophomore Cameron McLennan return to the PHS pool for the boys after making an appearance at last season’s state meet as part of the 200-yard medley relay. Junior Emmitt Gaskey made the trip as well as an alternate. Last year at districts in addition to appearances on relays, Katsikis swam the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, McLennan competed in the 100 butterfly and Gaskey swam the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
The coach said sophomore Isaac Avery has progressed considerably in his second year with the program and added that freshman Lucas Brandt will have an impact with his years of training in club swimming.
For the girls, junior Kyah Weeber returns after qualifying for state in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke last season. Weeber also routinely takes part on a couple of relays.
The coach mentioned sophomore Jessica McLennan’s name as a newcomer showing promise, especially in the backstroke with good form. Senior Madison Juhl returns in the sprints.
“I don’t know what it is but they all look stronger already than they did at the start of last year,” Kaiser said.
The coach has a lot to choose from when it comes to figuring out the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.
“It’s just trying to figure out who would work well together in a relay because sometimes people are fast but they just don’t have good exchanges or they just don’t click as a relay,” Kaiser said.
Maintaining a positive environment factors into relay performances as well, she added.
“I try to look for that and look for their times,” Kaiser said. “We have 12 chances of finding a good combination for competitions.”
As for individual event entries, there are decisions to be made. Some meets have caps on the number of swimmers that go in any particular event, which can make Kaiser’s task of setting lineups challenging with those 35 kids on the roster.
“We don’t have a lot of flyers that I know of for sure that are going to want to do the 100 fly,” Kaiser said. “The majority of our kids like doing the breaststroke events and we have a lot that like the 500.”
The team opened practice Nov. 13 but the swimmers weren’t able to use the pool the last few days of Thanksgiving week and the following Monday because of a slow flow rate issue at Clemens Community Pool.
“The first two weeks, I focus more on teaching everybody the strokes I want them to at least know and how to do even if they’re not the best at it,” Kaiser said. “Now, it’s getting the endurance, getting the conditioning to see … in the long run who would do well in districts just individually — not even placing at districts but I want them to be the best that they can and encourage them.”
Kaiser worked endurance training into the practice schedule in the middle of last week and said at the time that the swimmers were “showing promise of having a really solid season.”
The schedule lists seven appearances at Clemens Community Pool, including four over a 16-day stretch in December. After Wednesday’s opener, the Warriors will also swim at home in either three- or four-school meets on Dec. 12, Dec. 19 and Dec. 22. Three other home meets will follow in January with the final one on Jan. 22 recognizing seniors.
Philomath will participate in invitationals on Dec. 16 at the Kroc Center in Salem in a meet hosted by Blanchet Catholic, Dec. 28 at the Stayton Christmas Invite, Jan. 13 at the annual District Swim Meet in Albany and Jan. 26 at the Sweet Home Invite. There will also be a three-school meet Jan. 19 at Junction City.
“I tried to make it as even as I could but I think there’s two more home meets than there are away,” Kaiser said, who was correct with the regular-season schedule showing seven at home and five away. “There’s just not a lot of schools that have pools that can host.”
This year’s district meet returns to Albany Community Pool at South Albany High on Feb. 9-10. The 4A/3A/2A/1A state meet is scheduled for Feb. 16-17 at the Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center in Beaverton.
Kaiser’s assistant coach this season will be former Warriors swimmer Ophelia Katsikis.
