Eagle River ladies swimming group goals to keep up elite customary at Region IV championships

While a majority of their classmates are nonetheless quick asleep, the members of the Eagle River swimming and diving group are onerous at work.

The Wolves rise earlier than 6 a.m. to get to the Bartlett pool for a 6:30 a.m. observe, the place they do calisthenics, stretch and get limber earlier than leaping into the pool to swim laps. From there, they tackle extra detailed coaching for his or her strokes earlier than wrapping up at 8 a.m.

That has been the group’s morning routine on daily basis of the varsity week relationship again to early August.

“Sometimes it’s hard to wake up so early in the morning, but we know that it’s for a good reason,” senior Sophia Trembath mentioned. “It’s going to make us better to show up every day, get extra training and try our best.”

That self-discipline and consistency has paid main dividends for her and the opposite members of Eagle River’s elite ladies group this season.

“We’re really trying to be a process-oriented team, and I think with that, the success has come,” head coach Bryce Carpenter mentioned. “They’re just committing to the work and committing to working together, so I’m really proud of them.”

Trembath, her youthful sister Lelaina and senior Reese Woodward helped propel the Wolves to this system’s first-ever state title final 12 months. They are prime contenders as soon as once more heading into this weekend’s Region IV championship, held on the similar venue the place they’ve spent their mornings this fall.

“Our team has been a little bit younger this year, but we’ve still been super strong,” Woodward mentioned. “I think that just goes to show that our strength just isn’t in our individuals but in our depth and how hard we’re working for each other.”

In addition to being reigning state champions, the Wolves ladies group members are defending area champions. In simply a few years, they’ve turn into the gold customary for his or her division at the highschool degree in Alaska and are aiming to tug off their first profitable protection this weekend.

“We all work so hard that I feel like we all are always trying our best at every practice, we’re getting up early and getting to the pool,” Lelaina Trembath mentioned. “It’s a little hard to wake up sometimes, but we are here every day and always want to get better.”

All three upperclassmen haven’t solely been main the group, they’re additionally its finest performers. They every set in-season private bests for particular person occasions and joined forces to interrupt the Eagle River ladies 200-medley relay program report that was set in 2019.

“That’s very rare, but it’s all because of the hard work that they put in,” Carpenter mentioned.

Sophia set a private report within the 100 freestyle when she recorded a sub-54-second mark for the primary time. She’d prefer to repeat the feat at areas so that it’ll rely towards USA Swimming requirements. Her sister set a private report within the 200-individual medley.

Woodward swam personal-best occasions in-season for the primary time since she was a sophomore, which fills her with confidence heading into the postseason.

“They’re working hard Monday through Saturday, including club workouts,” Carpenter mentioned. “Being able to wake up this early and show up with purpose and show up every single day is a challenge, but they’re doing it together, and it’s paying off in-season, and hopefully it will pay off in postseason.”

Mindset heading into postseason

As reigning area and state champions, there’s been a goal on their collective backs and inevitable strain on them to proceed to carry out at a excessive degree, which they’ve completed by leaning on each other.

“There’s definitely pressure to repeat and win again, but I just think that we’re all super supportive and we’re there for each other, so that definitely makes it a little bit lighter,” Woodward mentioned.

While Lelaina admitted to feeling a mix of pleasure and nervousness, the group’s total method towards preparing for areas is to not stray from what acquired them so far.

“We’re just going to go one day at a time and be process-oriented, do what we need to do to make things right and hopefully the results will pay off this weekend,” Carpenter mentioned.

Sibling rivalries dwell on within the lanes

Both Trembath sisters compete within the 200 freestyle. They view one another as their largest competitor and finest buddy on the similar time.

“I’m really used to it now, because we’re used to swimming together at practice and competing with each other at meets,” Sophia mentioned. “I think it’s just fun to have someone you can compete with but also is your sister.”

They’ve taken turns successful the occasion over time, with Lelaina being the reigning area champion however Sophia successful their final bout on senior night time.

“It’s been really fun, and it’s nice to see her doing better her senior year and getting so much faster,” Lelaina mentioned. “It’s been fun getting to race her.”

Last 12 months, Eagle River had a pair of siblings on their ladies group. Along with the Trembaths, Reese Woodward was joined by her older sister Lola, who’s a freshman competing at California State University East Bay.

“I miss her so much,” Reese Woodward mentioned. “She’s like my best friend, but she’s been thriving in college. It’s definitely been tough without her because I had her to look up to every year, but that also means that I can step up into that role and be someone the younger swimmers can look up to.”

Carpenter praised Woodward for her development as a frontrunner. She is without doubt one of the Wolves’ group captains this 12 months and units the correct tone for her teammates to comply with throughout each observe.

“Reese has really stepped up,” he mentioned. “She’s definitely one of the faces of our team and the example of what it takes to be successful in the state and outside of the state for swimming. … I’m really proud to be working with her and have her be one of the leaders on the team.”