Transcript
Joining us on coaches corner here in kwb g get a chance to put a wrap on Boone girls swimming season boy Just a another notch on some success and Boone did it once again this year Chris Mann joining us And whether I talk about a first-ever conference championship or multiple events and relays and individuals at State I mean Chris it just kind of feels like you guys just continue to set that bar a little higher and a little higher and if you Didn't I know you wouldn't be doing this anymore because it'd be boring for you But wow what a great season for the ladies.
It was fantastic You know we have our?
team goals meeting at the beginning of the season and I haven't had a chance all the girls you know write down their own goals and kind of keep track of those throughout the year but You know I would be hard-pressed to say that most of those goals were were probably checked off and You know including our team goals of placing top three at the conference meet Obviously winning took care of that Placing top three at a couple of our invites.
You know we won the Lincoln invite for the first time ever also and It just was such a good year with kind of a fresh team you know we brought in a lot of freshmen a lot of new faces this year and Not sure what that was gonna look like coming in but boy.
They did a great job and Really had a great year for Boone swimming diving Do you have to I mean Chris is this one of those things because I know that you do a real nice job of tinkering And you're always looking at numbers, and you're a stats guy, which is probably why you and I get along so darn well, but Does it take a couple of meets where you start feeling okay?
This is what I have as a squad Can you tell in practices when could you kind of tell that maybe there was some success that could be really coming this year?
Yeah, I will tell you you know when freshman come on it is it is a bit of a slow burn And you're not really sure what to expect because they've never had Near the training that they do at the high school level and but just a lot of go-getters and a lot of girls that Are very high achievers and tough competitors and so I knew we had the ability there It did take a while during the season though to kind of figure out like okay You really can be this fast or you can they they come in at a 105 and 100 freestyle And you're like okay I think they can be under a minute But then you start to see it develop and you're like okay like we can really start putting some goals down on paper that At the beginning of the year could have looked really far-fetched You know we're putting down goals that they're like there's no way I some this and as this as a season progress I think you know you get to that Lincoln meet And a couple meets right in the middle of September there that they Kind of turned a corner in a gear kind of or something kind of clicked where they're like oh Maybe I can go those goals and maybe my goal times are going to be a lot faster than what I thought at the beginning of The season and with the freshman.
It's just hard saying coming in, but yeah, I would say middle of September We really started to figure out what kind of team that we had and how special it could be It also kind of feels like to Chris with the with the girls teams over the years And I think this year is kind of that way as well you always seem like you've got the younger crop We're like okay in a couple years We're gonna lean on you, but you've always got your veterans too that you're like okay.
We're leaning on you this year I'm gonna need you to help bring the freshmen along Chris I know you don't put that together perfectly every year or this would be such an easy job But it just seems like it's working that way. I don't know how you guys do it.
Can you give us the secret to that success?
I just think you know one different thing about the sports like swimming cross-country track is as a freshman You're a varsity member of the team And so there is no seniority There's no a juniors and seniors are going to be playing most of the varsity varsity snaps varsity swims whatever and so real quickly you have to figure out as an upperclassman that You could either kind of snob off these freshmen and and you know make them work for it Or you could bring them along and make this team really special because they are going to be a part of your relays and they are going to be a part of scoring a lot of points that meets and this year's group of juniors and seniors did an excellent job of that of bringing in a ton of underclassmen and you know kind of showing them the ropes and and teaching them that hard work is okay and being tired is okay and that the Ensuring them all season long when they're tired and when they're sore that these Results at the end of the season are definitely worth it And you love when that pays off for them at the end, you know Talk about Mackenzie as a freshman all season long.
She's like, I'm not gonna go those gold times you have for me I'm not gonna do it and then it literally took until the last meet and I was like, well, are you a believer yet? She goes.
Yeah, I suppose I am so, you know just those juniors and seniors when The underclassmen are tired just reassuring them that hey, it's all worth it You know, we have our results speak for themselves.
You can see a track record of success at the end of the season So just you know hate to be cliche, but trust the process and and everything will take care of itself Chris I mean, I know you're not a huge emotional guy when it comes to this you'd get excited But I mean, do you get a little emotional when you get a chance to see, you know a Tessa and a Savannah Kind of ending their careers at the state meet I mean is that kind of a deal where you sit back later or you're watching it unfold at the time?
I mean that's got to even make Chris feel pretty good right little warm heart there, right?
Yeah, you know anytime you get seniors they get to go to the state meet and and experience that is is special I I just view it as kind of a celebration, you know cherry on top of of four years of hard work And they're really good at supporting their teammates and and being there for them and being good leaders by example And we definitely rely on our senior class every year boys girls doesn't matter the year doesn't matter the season and You know They've always done a great job of stepping up and being good leaders and couldn't thank them enough for that but yes for them to finish at the state meet put smile on your face and Get a watch them.
Enjoy that. All right, so there's boy a good a good group of girls that are coming back You know there always seems to be some jumps and some and just wow Where did this come from and not even you know not saying that rude or mean?
But I mean sometimes there's some time drops that you go. Wow.
I can't believe what you did from this year to last I know you get a little break until well not much of a break actually into the boys season But do you do you look at that at all for next year Chris or let's wait until?
2026 that I'll start thinking about that Yeah, I looked at that when I got home from the state meet Doesn't take long, you know, I I always like to think to the future and think what's coming up next Not not get too far ahead of ourselves But just showing the girls like hey, this is what we did and this is what we could do like next year And I think I shared a stat with you that of the 96 relays at the state meet There were six of them that had three freshmen on them, and we had two of those six so So having such young relays at the state meet just getting that experience Even if it was one swim at the state meet built so much confidence in these athletes that hey, I belong there I can be there and next year, you know, maybe it won't be once when maybe there'll be a couple flims But yeah, they're looking ahead to next year.
I know a lot of them moved on to basketball and their winter sports, but You know, they still got in the back of their mind what they accomplished and what they can get done again next year I feel like I ask you this question every year So I'll just do it again because why not but how close are we to classifications when it comes to squirrel swimming?
Are we any closer? Unfortunately, not close.
Yeah It is it is talked about every year But the logistics and with all the sharing agreements that go on You know the state's worried that if they split classes that a lot of schools are gonna drop their sharing agreements to make the lower Class and that will leave a lot of kids without a place to Compete and and they don't want to lower the participation numbers.
So unfortunately where we're at No, we're not close to classes, but it is discussed every year and the logistics are So I'm told being worked out To do that but no until then it'll be more like a like a Drake relay style like, you know all comers and You know, we're always just happy to compete and and happy to be there and hopefully That continues but yeah small schools like us.
We're still we're not upset about it, but It does get a little old see in the Dowling Cedar Falls Waukee top three type of situation You know our girls do a fantastic job competing against the best of the best they always do always do Chris I'd say I'm giving you time off, but I'm not gonna give you too much time off So we'll talk boys here in a couple of weeks, but thanks for a great season of girls swimming It was a ton to watch on a fun to watch as always and we'll talk to you again here for the boys preview very soon Hey, thanks, right you bet Chris mannegan joining us boom girls swimming here in coaches corner
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