The De Soto High School boys’ swim team has been hard at work for the past few months. There are nine members  including three new members. Junior Christian Nelson is one of the new members for the 2021- 22 season.

The boys’ swimming team is coached by Brian Kirkpatrick, who teaches Pathways at Mill Creek Middle School.

The team began practicing in mid-November. For students who are heavily involved in school activities, like Nelson, joining a new team can be a tough adjustment.

“I had to go straight from musical to swim, and I didn’t really get a break until winter break which was pretty stressful,” Nelson said.

Since DHS does not have a pool on campus for the team to use, they drive to different places for their practices depending on what site is available.

“Usually we practice at Blue Valley or Frontier Trails Middle School. FTMS is where we practice the most,” Nelson said. 

A typical practice includes various warm-ups to build the strength of each individual. 

“We do warm-ups where we swim back and forth down a lane using different swimming styles,” Nelson said. “It’s really a lot of relays and building your endurance and form.”

As a first-year member, there are some challenges that Nelson has had to overcome.

“Learning the technique and getting used to holding my breath for so long was difficult for me,” Nelson said.

The jam-packed schedule of the swim team can be overwhelming. Nelson describes a time this season that he anticipates will be just that.

“There’s a week this month where we have a meet every day which will be interesting,” Nelson said.

Though this may be a stressful week for the swim team, Nelson is confident in the team’s ability to do well.

“We have a lot of really good people. Ryan Schottler is really fast, and I believe already has State qualification,” Nelson said. 

He also noted that the team does particularly well on their relays.

Being new to a team can lead one to have many personal goals, or specific reasons why they wanted to join the team. For Nelson, joining the swim team at DHS provides him with a way to exercise by participating in something he enjoys.

“I just really wanted to get in shape, exercise more and meet new people on the team,” Nelson said. “I’ve always wanted to swim.”

It is never too late to consider joining one of the many sports teams offered at DHS. Like Nelson, you can meet new people, create lasting memories and find a new passion of yours.