As the fall season approaches for competitive Columbia swimmers, they have the opportunity to swim for their high school. In the past, many swimmers have denied this opportunity because of dissatisfaction with the coach, practices, and training regimen.
During recent years, this has led to a decline in the number of both HHS and RBHS swimmers. However, with new head coach Karen Steger and assistant coach Peter Willett, the 2011 team has grown, giving the swimmers a new start.
“In the past, a lot of [Columbia Swim Club] swimmers didn’t swim high school because of the coach,” senior Conner John said. “From what I’ve seen, Karen is a really good coach and she seems to be bringing a breath of fresh air to the team. [Willet] gives really good criticism. He is always watching to make sure we do strokes right. I think the two of them make a very good team.”
John said Steger has instituted a new training regimen. He said she is open to many new ideas and has a more personalized approach to practices.
“Last year the only dry-land we did was weights,” John said, “but this year we have added a lot of running, core work and abs and stuff. Our workouts are a lot better because we focus on different aspects of swimming. She takes in our ideas and asks us questions which is really good.”
John said the workouts are easy to understand, and that there is a focus on swimming basics, giving new swimmers an opportunity to learn.
“We put in a lot of technique work which is good for us,” John said, “especially for the younger and newer swimmers because they don’t know how to swim correctly.”
Sophomore Harry Stanton said he believes the new coaching staff will lead the team to be better prepared both mentally and physically.
“The new coaches really know what they’re doing,” Stanton said. “I think we will have a lot more success this year because the workouts that we do are a lot more comprehensive.”
Steger, a former swimmer for Hazelwood Central High School in St. Louis and the University of Missouri-Columbia, said she plans to develop a tradition of success at the state level for both RBHS and HHS. Having coached in North Carolina, she would like to take her experience and apply it to her teams in Columbia.
“We have so many more resources available to us here than what I am used to so there have been many chances to actually try things that I have learned,” Steger said. “We have already started to see some great improvements early on.”
Steger would like to see her team become one of the best in the state, something that she thinks will come with time.
“We are starting over brand new,” Steger said “We have a new staff, new outlook and new ideas like a complete overhaul. We have a good group of swimmers to work with, the majority of whom are committed to our training demands. We know it will not all come at once, but we believe that the ability is there.”
By Emily Wright