Swim team surges to state

Girls place 13th of top 16

Ermias Hagos, Sports Editor
Originally published November 30, 2017

Four girls from the swim team made it to state this year: senior Olivia Gabanek, sophomore Addy Keenan senior Hanna Parker and freshmen Corinne Pickering.

Just making it to state was already hard enough, as making the cut was even harder, but that’s exactly what one of these girls, Olivia Gabanek, did.
“My 50 freestyle I placed 13th,” Gabanek said.

Gabanek placed 13th. The swimmers in all did a great job and they got far in state.
“In the two I.M. medley relays we placed 13th and we were in the top 16,” Gabanek said.

Swim Head Coach Brook Brayman was very proud of the team this season but was not surprised that they made it to state.
“This is what I expected, I expected the relay to get in,” Brayman said.

Braymen had the confidence in his swimmers that few coaches held, which came with trust in their skills.
“At this point it’s just about making sure that they feel good,” Brayman said.

With that kind of training and teaching that Brayman has been providing, Gabanek has been positively impacted by it.
“He has been very optimistic… and he always reassures me… always pushes me to my limits,” Gabanek said.
And with that, Gabanek admitted to this being her very best season.

“I felt like this year the whole team was a whole lot closer and it was so fun,” Gabanek said.
She has many plans for which colleges to pursue and where.

“I just want to stay in the West Coast… Seattle U D-1 team and a few California ones that I was talking to,” Gabanek said.
The four girls were amazing this season, coach Brayman saw the impacts they were all having on the team.

“These are the girls that the freshmen want to be like… those are the ones that are looked up to,” Brayman said.
As the girls concluded their state competition, it was clear that this season was not only a huge success for the team, but was also a season to remember.