With so many sports teams already in action there really is something for everyone. This year I am proud to announce that a swim team has started back at Mac! If you are on the fence  of whether or not to try out a new sport, read this article. 

Firstly, If you are new to competitive swimming, here’s what you need to know. To start, there are four main swimming strokes that make up each race. These strokes are known as Backstroke, Front Stroke which is also known as freestyle, Breaststroke, and Butterfly. Many swimmers have their preference on what stroke they like the most. All swim races are made up of these four movements. Each race starts with a dive, and each race ends with every swimmer touching the same wall. The winner is usually the swimmer who comes first or has the fastest time. Competitive swimming is done in a 50 by 25 meter pool with each swimmer in his own lane. There are two types of races, sprint and distance. Sprint races can be anywhere between 25 to 100 metres long. During these races the swimmer’s goal is to swim as fast as they can for a short period of time. Distance races can be from 200 to 1500 metres long! The longest race in an indoor pool is the 1500 which averages to around 30 laps in one race. Although swimming is a sport with very little equipment needed, most swimmers wear knee length swimsuits that are tight to the body in order to be as fast as possible in the water. These special swimsuits are known as skin suits. Competitive swimwear is designed to to be ‘second skin’ tight in order for more aerodynamics.  Swimmers are also known to wear goggles and a swim cap. 

Swimming is one of the best sports because there are very few injuries in this sport. Unlike running or contact sports where the rate of injuries is very high, swimming is a sport that is very physical yet ‘easy’ on your body. In conclusion, I am overjoyed at the fact Immaculata highschool finally has its very own swim team! I hope the article has helped you understand the basics of swimming and inspire you to try something new.