By Maiya Ezawa
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On Jan. 27 and 28, the MHS swim team participated in the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Championship game following their win at Western OIA’s, with four of the members qualifying for the state championship in February. In addition to qualifying, a number of their swimmers placed in finals—first in women’s 200-yard medley relay, third in men’s 200-yard medley relay, seventh in women’s 200-yard freestyle, third and fourth in men’s 200-yard freestyle, sixth in men’s 200-yard individual medley, fifth in women’s 50-yard freestyle and making it to the finals in a number of other events.
“(MHS’) strength is that we support each other even if we are not close. I always try to cheer and scream for everyone who swims at the finals of the meets. Everybody cheers for everyone and that is what keeps the swim team a team,” stated Junior Cameryn Oshiro, who placed fifth and sixth in the women’s 100-yard butterfly and the women’s 50-yard freestyle respectively. “Mostly swimming is an individual sport where you focus on yourself, but the meets bring us together in spirit.”
Racing against public schools from all over Oahu, the MHS Varsity Swim Team placed fourth overall, and the JV team placed third. “It is the most tough event for me because it is so short and it is so quick that one small mistake will cause you to lose the chance of placing or getting a good time; I swam a 26.3 second (race),” said Oshiro.
Training hard during the season was instrumental for the team’s performance at the OIA competition, with many team members achieving individual goals in the process. “I wanted to do my best, and try to get personal best times,” said Sophomore Joshua-Ryan Lujan, who placed second in the men’s 100-yard breaststroke and dropped a second off of his best time while qualifying for states in all of his events. “I felt like, as long as I can make the (OIA) finals I would be good because that can set the whole mood for the whole meet as long as I make finals.”
Coming together as one unit is something that the swim team is currently trying to work on. “As a team, I feel like Mililani needs to bond more. Being a winter sport it is very difficult to have times outside of practice to meet new faces or get to know each other better,” stated girl’s varsity swim Captain Junior Emily Travis, who placed seventh in women’s 200-yard freestyle and fifth in the women’s 500-yard freestyle. Oshiro added, “The Mililani team needs to improve on communication. We don’t have as much (bonding as the teams) had in the past because everyone back then knew each other from club. Now, less people (join) swimming club so the swim family has gotten smaller, but we can still grow together as long as the desire for that maintains.”
After the results of the preliminary races, the MHS swim team turned their focus toward the final competition, which, took place the next day. “I felt proud of my team for the many that made it to finals and for the many that tried their best and dropped time. “I was very (excited) for what finals would bring for each individual swimmer, as well as Mililani as a team,” explained Travis. “I kind of just slept in longer than I normally would (on Saturday morning), since I wasn’t swimming until the afternoon for finals; I knew what I had to do and what I had to fix for the (final) day,” added Lujan.
Swimming is a sport that is more individual in nature, with members of the team planning on training independently to reach and maintain their goals for the next season. “I’m going to train my (hardest), or at least try. Besides swimming, other strength training like pull-ups and squats have improved my strength in the pool, so implementing those into my schedule is a must,” stated Oshiro.
Despite some of the various struggles that come with balancing school, swimming and social life, the feeling of accomplishment and dedication continues to drive the members of the swim team. “I’ve tried my best and overall enjoyed every minute of (swimming), maybe not so much in the moment but looking back on it, and that’s more than I could have ever hoped for myself,” reflected Travis.
Soon after the OIA competitions, MHS Swim Team members took on the best of both public and private school athletes in the Hawaii state championship which took place on Feb. 10 and 11.
