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mmJr DreeR SPORTS FEBRUARY 8, 2007 - Page 15 Puerto Rico trip helps swim team improve pool at McDaniel is 25 Mawr was a disappointment. LAURAHUTION ~~~~~. inIt~~~i~~~:;~~ yards. Thus, this new The final score was 60-62, we _--,--,-'P,-O_RT_'_'_Dl,-TO,-R-:--:-_ ing we experience all environment gave us lost by two points. After the At 2:30 am on Wednesday, year and it is designed the opportunity to meet, locker room talk was January 3 my cell phone alarm as a huge push. A push lengthen and really full of regret. goes off. I grumble, tum it that propels us into our tone our strokes. On The guy's team did a lot to off, grab my suitcase and second chunk of meets Monday the 8th, we lift the spirits at that meet. equipment bag, and head out leading up to Chapter had a day off and Always at the Bryn Mawr into the quiet, cold night. C ham pia n s hip 5, went to Old San Juan meet for 'support, they Upon arriving at the pool, my February 16-18. we are all in this together and to experience the culture of showed up in Speedos and exhaustion is lifted, the swim Upon arriving in Puerto one person's negative energy the city. body paint spelling out "GO team is about to go to Puerto Rico, everyone is exhausted. can bring the entire team The next day practices were TERROR", complete with Rico. All we want to do is go to the crumbling down. from 6:30-8:30 am and 3-5 pm. posters. Sophomore, Stef hotel and sleep. Wehave been Staying positive can be The afternoon practice was Though small in number, McCole is her usual bouncy on the move since very early hard, especially while in such run by the captains, seniors we make up for it with pride. self, even at 3 a.m., thanks to a and had not slept much before close quarters and working so Molly Bolek and Mark In Puerto Rico, the guys few cans of coke. Freshman, arriving at the Harlow pool hard so often. One just has to Yankovich. The captains are played football in their Chris Bosco already has his that morning. However, we understand that it is about a the backbone of this team. Speedos with a tennis ball. camera out, ready to docu- drive the hour from the air- love for the sport and the team Yankovich brings us together They are completely crazy and ment the entire journey. port to the pool and had our and the understanding that on deck before each meet to their upbeat moods inspire us Shorty, the charter bus arrives first Puerto Rico practice. whatever one swimmer strug- pump us up and Bolek always all to swim fast and have fun. and we make our way to BWl. At that moment, the pool gles with we all face together. delivers in the pool. They are As Championships While most McDaniel stu- was one of the last places I Not only is it a sport and two of the most devoted approach, we set out to prove dents spent their Jan Terms at wanted to be. The bus ride time spent training in new swimmers Ihave ever known. to ourselves that we will fight home working or on campus had given me a horrible and tropical places. It is a We left Puerto Rico on the until the touchpad is reached. for sports or class, the swim headache.. and like everyone love/hate relationship, a way 10th, after morning practice. Every practice has been lead- team spent the first week of it else, I was exhausted. Once I of life that one is always a part The swimming total for the ing up to the final big meet on a training trip in Puerto dove into the pool, my of with people who become a trip was 45 miles, its fine. since pre-season began the last Rico. Though easily misccn- headache disappeared and the family and can never be for- Once we returned to cam- week of August. We have ceived, this is by no means a practice went from something gotten. pus meets started again. On worked too hard and too long I was dreading to a helpful Over the next six days prac- January ]6, we really came to back off now. event. Despite the amount of tices stayed on a pretty similar together and fought for our energy the trip took out of us, schedule. Morning practice win against Elizabethtown. we fought strongly through was from 8:30-10:30 am and Like the meet against Ursinus practice. followed by abs and other dry on November 11, the women's In times like these, one real- land work. Then, there was meet came down to the final izes that swimming is more time in the afternoon to eat relay. However, both the men than just going through the lunch, rest, and go out on the and women won the motions, it becomes a mental beach. Afternoon practice Elizabethtown meet (the challenge and a matter of was from 5:50-7:30 pm preced- women lost at Ursinus). pushing the pain and exhaus- ed by dry land and some run- There was a push and a fire tion away rather than letting it rung. inside us; we had to touch the consume you. The impor- We swam long course in a wall first. ...-------, IiiiiiilIiiiii tance comes in knowing that 50 meter outdoor pool. The The meet against Bryn