Swimming and diving the girls took their last strokes in the 2013 swimming season. Head coach Kristin Demski has worked the girls to make them better swimmers. Demski teaches Biology and Physics and this is her second year as a swim coach. Before coaching for JTHS she coached for Lincoln Way Central High School and for the LWSA Gators. She has a strong passion for swimming. She has been swimming since a young age. All the girls believe that swimming isn’t just about beating the other team. “We all understand that each individual plays a valuable role on the team. Swimming involves individual races and personal best times, but it also is scored as a team and girls must work together to compete as a successful team.” Said Demski.

Senior Scarlet Kitchens who has been on the team for four years had recently gone through shoulder surgery, after struggling the previous years with intense pain while swimming. In the 2013 season, she wanted to try to push herself harder than she has before, but her shoulder still gave her trouble during death days and dry-land. Kitchens pushes herself to win and drop time. “During the season and the off-season I try to improve my endurance and strength by not stopping just because my shoulder hurts doesn’t mean I need to give up.”  Says Kitchens along with the rest of the team work hard towards the end of the season because of Conference and Sectionals “This last month of practice is difficult; you get pushed harder, times get shorter, practices get longer and your body gives out.” Says Kitchens, the purpose of working your bodies to the extreme is that so the week before conference swimmers taper which relaxes you’re muscles and bodies so that on the day of conference you have energy built up to push yourself during a race.

The whole team believes in supporting each other. At very meet everyone stands at the end of the pool cheering each other on. They start off the meet strong by cheering their JTHS cheer since swimming is still a combined sport. They strive to incorporate Steelmen and Tigers by having swim suits that represents both schools and attending both schools activities.