Plenty of fish in the pool this year

   The Allred Olympic Pool will be more crowded than normal this season.

   Chapman's swimming and diving season began Monday, Oct. 3 with a record number of athletes joining the men's and women's teams. With 63 athletes, Head Coach Dennis Ploessel thinks it will be a strong season.

   "The biggest improvement is that we have a lot more swimmers and some really good quality recruits," Ploessel said. "I know we're going to be faster than last year."

   Last year, the women's team had 36 members and the men's had far fewer, with about seven members. Ploessel has confidence that the greater numbers will allow for greater talent and the opportunity to enter more events.

   This is the men's team's last year as a club sport. A good showing this year would benefit the team's recruiting. Its status as a club cuts funding for the team and doesn't allow the men to qualify for the playoffs.  

   "They hate it. It's a terrible status and a funding issue," Ploessel said.

   The team will be considered varsity next year, allowing it equal opportunities and funding along with the women's team.

   The women's team will compete in 10 or 11 meets this season, with one out-of-state meet scheduled in Las Vegas, Nev. at the end of finals week. The rest of the meets occur within an hour's drive from campus.

   Twenty swimmers are returning to swim and dive. With the season just beginning, new members are quickly grasping how the team operates and what's expected of them.

   "They've made it a really easy transition, so it wasn't hard at all," said freshman Sarina Karwande.

   The team practices Monday through Saturday. It has dry-land training two days a week where it spends time cross training, focusing on yoga and stretching. Ploessel isn't planning on implementing any different training practices from last season but, rather, focusing attention on long-distance endurance swims.

   "It's always an adjustment for freshmen," Ploessel said. "They not only have to get used to college life, but they have to get used to waking up early for practices and new coaches. It can become a real family though if they stay with us long enough."

   Sami McLaughlin, junior co-captain, isn't wasting any time setting a positive team attitude and work ethic for her teammates to follow.

   "My goal is to keep the team bonded because swimming is such an individual sport," McLaughlin said. "It's hard to get to know everyone on the team. I want to make sure everyone is close, doing well at dual meets, and having fun."

   Many women from the water polo team have joined swimming and diving, using it as an opportunity to get in shape for their season, which won't begin until spring. Ploessel encourages members from the water polo team to swim because it not only improves each athlete's swim time but also helps the team as a whole come spring.

   "We look forward to what we think will be one of the best women's water polo seasons because of it," Ploessel said.

   The women's swim team has its first meet at the Redlands Invitational on Oct. 22. All members of the team will attend and compete.