LYNN — Coming into the new season, English swimming coach Lisa Trahant didn’t know what to expect.
English, a co-op that also includes student athletes from Winthrop High, lost a handful of swimmers to graduation and Trahant was hoping to see new faces join her team to fill those vacancies.
Four meets into the season, Trahant couldn’t be any happier with the way her team’s progressing. The Bulldogs are 3-1 in the early going of the season and improving on a day-by-day basis.
“It’s definitely the start we were looking for,” Trahant, in her seventh season coaching the team, said. “I lost some seniors from last season so I didn’t know what to expect coming back. I have a great core of returning seniors and juniors. I could see in practice the willingness to learn. Our captains have done a great job teaching some of the younger swimmers. We have a few freshmen who have really stepped up this season.”
English has won three of its four meets and the majority of its victories have come by close margins. Most recently, the Bulldogs earned a 5-point win over Swampscott, 90-85, on Tuesday evening. The close-margin wins have added excitement to the season, while making depth all the more important.
“The meets that we’ve had, we’ve won by close margins,” Trahant said. “Sometimes it comes down to a relay or something like that. It’s an exciting start to the season and I’m hoping we can keep it up.
“Depth has helped us but we still have a couple areas we need to work on,” Trahant said. “The butterfly is one of the events we’re working on, making sure the strokes are legal. We’re working to make sure we can fill all the lanes. In the relays and other events, the strong finishes coming in have been a bonus for us this year.”
The Bulldogs are led by their four captains, senior Devin Curley and juniors Peter Phelan, Caroline Zuffante and Caleigh Petersen. Trahant credited her captains for being helpful to the younger swimmers who’ve joined the program this winter.
“I’ve had some of the younger swimmers tell me that the captains are so helpful,” Trahant said.
“The captains have been great leaders. They’re looking at the underclassmen and working with them after practice. Senior year and junior year’s tough with heavy academics but they balance everything great. They’re great student athletes.”
Sophomores Mary Lawlor and Hannah Trahant, Lisa’s daughter, have already qualified for sectionals. A skilled diver, Trahant has also seen time in the pool in a few swimming events.
“They qualified for sectionals in the second meet of the season and that’s great,” Trahant said. “In some of our past years, we’d be waiting towards the end of the season for that to happen so to have them already qualified is wonderful.”
Seniors Dax Billingsley, Megan Wilkinson, Shane Carino, Abby Geaney and juniors Andy Nhiv and Erik Whittier have also done well in the pool this winter.
The freshman trio of Ryan Curley, Carlie Harris and Tyler Kebreau have provided a much-needed boost in depth that has paid dividends for the team this winter. With a group of freshmen tackling key roles, Trahant likes the direction of her program moving forward.
“The freshmen that are coming up have done really well for us,” Trahant said. “We have a strong core of freshmen and we’re building them up. When you lose seniors, you wonder about who you’re having come in. When I saw the freshman and sophomores coming in, that does a lot for the interest of the program. They’re enjoying it. It becomes part of them once they join the team.”
Aside from the early success English has seen, Trahant has noticed her group develop a strong bond. While winning meets makes the season both exciting and memorable, Trahant feels it wouldn’t be the same if her swimmers weren’t having fun along the way.
“The kids are all close and it’s a united team,” Trahant said. “They’re all excited to work with one another. It’s a team that has a lot of fun. That’s one of the most important things. It’s a good group of kids that bonds.
Trahant added, “For me, just to see everyone improving in the pool and watching the swimmers smile when they dive into the pool, that’s a great feeling.”
The Bulldogs will aim for their fourth win of the season next Tuesday when they visit Medford.
