In their sixth year of competition the Guilford swim team finished sixth overall, fifth among Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) teams in the annual ODAC/Atlantic States tournament which took place from Feb. 12-14. The Quakers also racked up three wins and four losses overall in 2009-10, and a two and two mark in the ODAC.Now the team looks forward to a new season filled with opportunity and challenge.

“The biggest challenge for next year is keeping the team alive,” said sophomore Kelcey Johnson. “One of our biggest problems with the program is that we don’t have a pool on campus. This is an issue because it’s hard to get to the pool for 6:30 (p.m.) workouts.” The Quakers practice at Greensboro College in the Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center.

However, Johnson is confident about the 2010-11 season.

“I feel very good about the swim team’s prospects for next year,” said Johnson. “This year at ODACs we truly competed. Many of our girls were able to get to finals or get their best time in their events.”

“I do know that the team will be just as strong if not stronger,” said graduating senior Justine Merritt. “I’m the only senior on the team so, besides myself, all the team members from this season will be returning.”

Head coach Steve Kaczmarek highlighted the returning strength and chemistry. The Quakers return nine of the 10 letter-winners from 2009-10, four of which will be seniors, while six will be upperclassmen. “This is a very close-knit group and every one of these girls is important,” said Kaczmarek. “If we had a team of say 40, then I could pick out eight as the most valuable, but all these girls are equally important.”

Another challenge confronting the Quakers in the upcoming season is recruiting without a pool on campus.

“So far it hasn’t been that difficult talking to recruits since a lot of high schoolers are used to traveling in order to swim,” Kaczmarek said.

Kaczmarek seemed confident in regards to recruiting and stated that he expected several contributing members of the team to come from the first-year class.

The team must also continue to go off campus to practice and compete.

“Because we have no home turf it’s hard to get the support from our friends and the community,” Johnson said. “People can’t walk over and see me swim anymore, which is unfortunate.”

“The biggest challenge is for our team to stay motivated to practice at an inconvenient time and at our rival’s pool,” Merritt concurred.

“Not having a pool on campus is inconvenient when kids have to miss practice, but we’re very happy Guilford found us a pool,” Kaczmarek said.

It seems like the luck is finally turning for the swim team and the Quakers are more hopeful than ever for 2010-11.