CHENEY – Despite having a defending state champion return to the team, Cheney swim coach Jennifer Hochwalt is taking a cautious approach to the 2024 boys' season.
"We're gonna see what the season brings," Hochwalt said as she'd had just a few days to evaluate her team since its first turnout.
Cheney graduated what Hochwalt termed "Several solid swimmers," but she welcomes back junior Alma Smith who claimed the state 3A diving title.
"After graduating our class last year, I think this year is a bit of a clean slate.
The experience is somewhat limited with some classes featuring just one of two competitors and a lot of new faces, in general, and swimming as a whole.
"The incoming group this year, we have a large amount of kids that are that are new to the team and are new to the sport," Hochwalt said. "I think it's going to be really exciting to see how quickly they can learn, and start competing."
The team is embracing all types of swimmers, Hochwalt explained.
"We get everything from kids who currently do some club to kids who've done novice league, kids who've done some lessons and even I think have one or two kids that that never did swim lessons."
That means there are a lot of dots to connect.
Those who have swum competitively know the ropes. But the newbies have a certain playbook from which to become familiar.
"There's a lot of fine points," Hochwalt said. "The rules are pretty easy, don't touch the bottom (of the pool), don't touch the lane lines, don't false start."
New swimmers will contend with also learning strokes, and "They are learning a ton of new skills," Hochwalt said.
Smith is the most notable proven commodity with the win Feb. 16. Smith's 338.05 to 316 win came over Christopher Sellers from Bishop Blanchet High School came in Cheney's inaugural dip into having diving as a team discipline.
"I've gotten to see him dive since then," Hochwalt said.
There are currently 19 on the initial roster. Elijah Carpenter is the lone returning senior. Henry Gipple, who placed at Districts, will be returning.
"We have a freshman incoming, Tanner Nelson," Hochwalt said. "I think he'll probably have a pretty good season.
Cheney is one of three Greater Spokane League school to offer swimming, but they compete "long distance" against programs in Pullman and Clarkston.
Reader Comments(0)