The seniors wrap up their season at the Northwest Conference Championship
By Peter Melling /// Sports Editor
The last act in the Pioneer’s swimming season has ended, along with the college careers of the six seniors of the men’s and women’s team. Their mentorship was invaluable to the young talent on both teams, guiding their progress all the way into the championship meet. The seniors took time to look back on what their their fondest memory of the teams, what they hope to leave behind for future players (along with their advice), their favorite swimming strokes, their post-graduation plans and their yearbook quote.
Libby Bissen ’16
Almost every moment was amazing and I can’t possibly pick just one. From witnessing great swims and having some myself to all the crazy fun times outside of the pool, being on the Lewis & Clark swim team for 4 years was an infinite number of great memories all put together.
I want to leave behind a legacy strong enough that the swimmers in a few years from now will have heard stories about my time on the team even if they’ve never met me.
My favorites are the Breaststroke and Freestyle.
Enjoy every moment on the team and become friends with all your teammates! It goes by so fast and there’s no other bond like that.
Hopefully I will get a job and not have to live in my car, but that could be fun too.
“Life is wild.”
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Sofia Koutzoukis ’16
I mean, any time with my teammates is a good time, but I will always cherish the times after practice was over, but we would stay in the pool, floating, lovingly drowning each other, messing around, and cuddling.
The graduating class this year is a decently sized, pretty weird cohort. We know how to have a good time, and how to put in work. I hope that the underclassmen can look to myself and my cohorts, for an example of balanced student-athletes with a good, healthy love and passion for the sport and the team.
Backstroke. The starts, the underwaters, the breathing, the turns…it’s all just perfect. What a wonderful stroke.
I would advise other LC swimmers to just have a good time, and that good swims will come from it. Focus on the process, not the outcomes, and make sure you’re having a really good time doing it.
I’ll probably retreat into the forest and be a nymph or a plant-human, or work in a research lab for a year. But I’m planning to apply to PhD programs in the next year to study ecology and plants.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I was trying to make it fun” -Genevieve Emerson
Genevieve Emerson ’16
My fondest memory was my freshmen year when I broke the minute in my 100 freestyle. It had been a goal of mine to go under a minute since my junior year of high school, and finally freshmen year at this big invitational meet I did it. I got out and my teammates were there and they were so happy for me and I was so happy for myself it just felt amazing.
I hope to leave behind the legacy of lane 8. I have swam in the same lane since freshmen year, and lane 8 has been known for having some of the weirdest/best people to ever swim in there. Nobody wants to swim in lane 8 because it is the lane right next to the wall, but lane 8 has special powers that you can’t understand til you swim in it.
Freestyle! Freestyle forever. However, a secret of mine is that I really like swimming butterfly-but I would never want to swim it in a race.
My advice to future LC swimmers would be to not forget that swimming is supposed to be fun. It’s not an obligation, it’s a gift, and it’s fine to step back and give yourself a break every once in awhile.
My post grad plans are currently to stay in Portland at least for the summer and see where the wind blows me! I am thinking right now that I want to apply to Americorps, or do some other kind of non-profit work while I think about where I want to apply for grad school.
“Happy half way”-sofia koutzoukis
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Elizabeth Growdon ’16
One of my fondest memories is when Zach Simon sang an ode of brotherly love to Trevor Shapiro at our team talent show.
I hope to leave behind a work hard play hard mentality.
My favorite race is the 100 Individual Medley.
“Work hard, make it count, have fun with every race, and take each moment in.” -Momo Castro, LC swim alumna 2015
I’m planning on taking it easy for a year and then maybe going to graduate school.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”-Dory
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