On Oct. 24, it was a cold night, yet inside the pool at St. Catherine’s University, it was plenty warm. The St. Paul Academy and Summit School co-op with Highland Park High School (Sparks) swim and dive team was ready for their conference meet, the concluding meet of the season, before some headed into sections. The pool was packed with swimmers, coaches, friends and family. With four different high schools competing at once, Como Park, Central Senior High School, Humboldt and, of course, the Sparks.
For many swimmers, this meet marked the end of their season; their hard work had shown it. Swimmers huddled together between races, offering encouragement, high-fives and last-minute pep talks. When a swimmer hit a personal best time or finished a race, the team erupted in cheers. Regardless of where they finished, everyone was supportive; swimmers gathered at the end of lanes, cheering on their teammates and yelling chants such as “Let’s go Sparks!”. The pool was lively before the meet had even started. The coaches were also seen cheering on their swimmers, following them up and down the lane line, doing hand motions to signal kick your feet or keep going. This energy made up the whole night.
Many of the girls were wearing tech suits. A type of swimsuit that is designed to improve swimmers’ speed in the water by reducing drag because of its compressed fit and the material they are made of doesn’t absorb water. These types of swimsuits are typically worn towards the end of a swimmer’s season, as they are aiming to finish strong and push for their best times.
The meet opened with the first heat of the 200-yard medley relay. As the meet shifted into the second heat, the intensity only grew, especially against the Sparks’ biggest rival, Central. Previously, the Sparks had lost against Central, who gained the title of the conference champs. As soon as the buzzer rang, the girls were off the wall. With two lanes, right next to each other of Sparks swimmers competing in this event, the end of the pool was filled with teammates clumped together in their purple suits and jackets. The room filled with loud energy as it was a close race between the Sparks and Central. The Sparks finished just seconds behind, with a 4.33 second difference.
Before swimmers got up onto the diving blocks for the 200-yard freestyle, some jumped in place to keep their muscles warm, while others slapped their legs and backs to get the blood flowing before their race. The swimmers’ names and teams were called from across the pool deck and up above in the stands. The energy was loud and full of adrenaline. When the officials signaled for the swimmers to hop onto the blocks, they then got ready in position and waited for the sound of the buzzer. The crowd went silent, anticipating their dives. Although the officials called “Swimmers, please stand,” Sparks coaches Max and Stacy had shouted “Good job, girls,” breaking the silence, as tension hung in the air. The stillness had then returned as the officials called back for “Swimmers, take your mark”, with the buzzer finally going off, the swimmers dove off into the cool water. Sparks swimmers in lanes two, three and seven. Junior Athena Morstad-Ruiz, from the Highland Park side of the co-op, finished in third place with a time of 2:13.87. Two Central swimmers had just touched the wall before her, first place finishing at a 2:09.75 and second at a 2:11.33.
Event after event and heat after heat, the races were fast and competitive, with multiple swimmers breaking new personal records. The Sparks fought hard in every event, with teammates who weren’t competing lining the pool with their easily spotted purple gear on, shouting at the top of their lungs. The combination of cheers, splashes and the sharp echo of the official’s whistle created a rhythm that repeated throughout the entire night.
Just near the halfway point through the meet, the longest event of the night, the 500-yard freestyle, came. While this was a time for many to rest up and get some food or water in their system, the Sparks didn’t miss out on their typical tradition of “Tutiy fruity Sparks booty” chant. The Sparks met up at the end of the pool to collaborate on this chant. The energy filled the long event, keeping the swimmers going. Just seconds after the bell was rung to signal the last 50 yards left of the event. It ended with a swimmer from Central winning the event, although Morstad-Ruiz had finished just shortly behind with a time of 5:54.49.
By the time the final relay hit the water, the pool deck was alive with sound and excitement. The Sparks finished strong, powering through the last lengths of the pool to the sound of teammates shouting their names. When the final touch came, smiles, laughter and hugs filled the air. The perfect ending to a night that celebrated not just competition but camaraderie, passion and a good end to the regular season.
After a full night of excitement, the Sparks ended the meet with 551 points to win the conference. Central had fallen just short of the Sparks with a score of 530. This comeback from the dual meet between the two teams shows how valuable teamwork and determination are.
Sections for the Sparks will take place Nov. 6 at Richfield Middle School.
