A Deep Dive Into The Swim Team

With twelve wins in the Woodcreek Invitational at Roseville, Sacramento, the Archbishop Mitty Varsity Swim team kicks off their season with a great start. This season has been quite a comeback for the Monarch swimmers. With a little time left in the season, and CCS and States coming up soon, the future is bright with multiple record-breaking swimmers leading the team.

One of the team captains, senior Stephanie “Tepi” Sifferman, has played a pivotal role in the team’s success. Best known for her contagious energy and outgoing personality, Tepi reveals, “The mentality I have when I go into practices and races is always to do better. I prepare for it by listening to Eminem with junior Allison Yuan before practices or shouting “hold the line” or “no pain no pain” on a really long set.” She feels the swim program is a great opportunity to hang out with her closest friends and do the sport she loves all in one go. This special program has offered her support, community and allowed her to expand her leadership skills. Because it is Tepi’s last year here at Mitty, she feels that focusing on her team and creating new memories with them are equally as important as winning events.

The swim team has bonded and grown closer in multiple ways. Junior Allison Yuan shares, “Having inside jokes with the whole team has definitely brought us closer as a family, most notably screaming “Flip the M” before every race. We say flip the M because we turn the Monarch “M” upside-down to create the “W”, which stands for win.”  Although it’s a silly little mantra, screaming that phrase has brought an element of encouragement and unity among her teammates. Another way that the swim team bonds is on the bus rides to and from swim meets. On the rides, the team films Instagram reels, some of which have gone viral!  When the team reaches their meet, the biggest bonding moment is when they scream their lungs out for each other, cheering each other on to push for a win. And win they do.