Through blood, sweat, and tears, the Chelsea boys swim and dive team did it again with another successful meet. The team stayed united throughout the whole meet and cheered at the top of their lungs. Their sportsmanship was a clear display that teamwork makes the dream work. 

“I think the biggest difference between Chelsea and other teams and what sets us apart is the leadership and culture we have,” senior Bram Hartsuff said. “The main goal for the captains is to cultivate an energy of hard work and effort and that creates a special sense of connection that I believe sets CHS apart.”

The team fought hard and gave everything they had, which resulted in an exciting win and entertainment for the audience. The swimmers and divers performed amazingly and brought the team into the lead.

“A lot of the team has been out sick lately or due to injury and that has caused the roster to be shortened for meet days,” Hartsuff said. “Most of the time, we usually have people pick up extra events that they don’t usually swim to make up for the missing spots on the roster.”

Though the swim and dive team competes and wins as a group, most of the performance is individual and instead of working together, it’s the swimmer himself that has to succeed. It can be hard to keep the balance between being on a team and performing as an individual, but the Bulldogs have cracked the code.

The swim and dive season has been extremely successful and the boys have accomplished a lot within the season. Memories have been made that will not only live long in the team’s hearts but in CHS swim and dive history. 

“One highlight from the season was the huge energy at the Holland Christian Invitational and watching senior Stephen Levine and sophomore Easton Hodel getting medals in the one-hundred backstroke,” Hartsuff said. 

The team is known for its strong spirit and how close the team is to one another. They have built a community around the sport with traditions, inside jokes, and friendships. The “Golden Bone” is one specific tradition the team has that symbolizes team spirit, community, and accomplishments.

“The strongest part of the team is the bond that we grow,” Hartsuff said. “We’re coming day in and day out to do hard work together.”

Swimming and diving are different from other sports that Chelsea has to offer. It is a different type of team spirit and training that other athletes might not understand. 

Preparation is known as the key to success, which is something the swim and dive team takes seriously. For example, doing what they call “tapering” is their current preparation method for increasing their speed in the water.

Overall, the swim and dive team has had an incredible season and is looking forward to a bright future with accomplishments, community, and passion for their sport. 

“The season has been a fun, up and down experience, with a lot of great memories and lessons learned along the way,” Hartsuff said.