The 2023-2024 Winter Season for Potomac Varsity Swim and Dive has proved monumental, with three school records being broken and multiple league and state championships being collected. The championship season started early, beginning on January 20th with the ISL Championships.
Sophomore Kate Douglas was a double champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and broke her own school record set her freshman year with an incredible time of 51.39. Another school record was set at the ISLs by Maren Schwarz ‘25, Sabine Barbee ‘26, Douglas, and Cecelia Russell ‘27 in the 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:41.2.
At the MAC Championships, the boys’ team fought to carry on their two-year victory streak. Senior captain Arav Bhargava won the 50 free and 100 free, and was accompanied by other outstanding swims by his teammates, including senior Will Walters.
Going into the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swim and Dive championship meet for many independent school teams in the Washington Metropolitan Area, the team remained cohesive and determined. Freshman Cecelia Russell dominated the 100 Butterfly with an impressive time of 57.55, while Kate Douglas continued her dominant streak by winning the 50 and 100 Freestyle events yet again. The Girls 200 Medley Relay Team won their event as well, with a great time of 1:46.87.
From February 16th to February 17th, 2024, Potomac Varsity Swimming competed at the VISAA State Championships in full force. Kate Douglas continued her incredible accomplishments, winning the 50 Freestyle for the second year in a row and breaking her own school record yet again. She also placed second in the 100 Freestyle, earning All-State honors in two events. Arav Bhargava placed seventh in the 50 Freestyle, and the Girls 200 Medley Relay placed fifth overall. An exceptional team as a whole, many swimmers qualified for the finals as well, an honor only given to the 16 fastest swimmers in the state for each event.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Jason Lu, Coach Micaela Johnson, and Coach Claire Morrissey, the Potomac Varsity Swim Team not only achieved groundbreaking results but also cultivated a culture of teamwork and resilience. Even as a young coaching staff, they were able to imbue the team with optimism and a spirit of enjoyment that extended way beyond the pool deck.
Junior Paige Schedler commented, “I especially love the team culture on Potomac’s swim team because it is a lively and supportive environment, and I believe we are able to have this because our head coach, JLu, is able to find the perfect balance between competitiveness and fun! The Potomac swim team is a family and we all share a genuine interest in each other and this reflects how we are able to cultivate such an amazing environment.”
Sophomore Dasha Minky said, “I’ve loved to get to know the freshman and the upperclassmen and create a stronger bond with all of them that will follow me through the years after high school.”
Freshman Logan Abbot remarked, “I’m so incredibly grateful that I joined the swim team this year. I was able to make so many new friends across all grades that I wouldn’t have been able to have met otherwise. I was able to improve my own times and get so much good advice from those around me. I really did have so much fun.”
As a swimmer myself, this season has been one of the best experiences of my life, not only because of the joy I’ve gotten from watching my teammates dominate competitions and meets throughout but also because of the bonds that I’ve formed with my teammates and the memories that we’ve made together. Although some team members are graduating or moving away from their time at Potomac this year, we hope to carry their spirit, determination, and infectious positivity into next season.
