Adapting for the 2020-21 Season

AMES, Iowa – The 2020-21 swimming and diving season has had a start like no other. Just like many teams across the country, the swimming and diving team has had to acclimate to challenges head-on and adjust to a non-traditional meet style to compete in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting this season, the team has transitioned to hosting virtual intrasquad meets as an answer to providing the team with the competition-feel they are used to in-season.

"We're using our virtual meets as a motivational factor to keep our team working hard and to test where we're at in our training," head coach Duane Sorenson said. "So far it's been very beneficial. We can compare our times from last year to this year and some kids are ahead from where they were, so that's a positive sign."

Times from swimming and scores from diving events from each virtual meet have been compared to other Big 12 teams and across the nation.

Typically once a week, Cyclone swimmers and divers compete in a set order of events to help simulate a true head-to-head meet experience. Impressive finishes have surfaced from returners and newcomers alike.

"I think we have a tremendous talent pool in all of our newcomers," Sorenson said. "Brinley Horras has been lighting it up in our time trial meets. She's just off of the top-20 list in two events and doing that in a virtual-meet setting is fabulous."

Newcomers have learned different techniques and have been placed into different situations throughout this semester to adjust to college-level competition. In addition, they have learned how to properly recover after a hard practice to be ready to compete the following day.

Sorenson feels student-athletes have done a great job at staying competitive while racing against teammates no matter the circumstances. This feat has been accomplished largely in part by the leadership of the senior class. The coaches challenged the senior class last spring to be leaders, be positive and to help the newcomers after knowing this would be a very unusual year.

Student-athletes have stood by the quote "in your bubble," and the senior class has reinforced this thinking. Sorenson has been pleased with the seniors' leadership, determination and holding the team together out of the pool.

"We've got a really close-knit senior class and they've collectively done their job, led by senior captains Wyli and Kennedy," Sorenson said. "All the other seniors are doing their part and not shy about speaking out. They are great leaders.They don't know what the future is but they're going to try to make the best of every day at practice and do their hardest and try to improve every day."

Senior-captain Kennedy Tranel reflects the same viewpoint.

"Our team has done a really good job at getting pumped up during our intrasquad meets, which can be rather difficult when racing against your own teammates," Tranel said. "It can be hard to stay motivated when we do not know what the rest of the season may look like, but I believe the girls are doing an extraordinary job at working hard during practice, in weights and getting up to race in these virtual meets."

Tranel and fellow seniors place importance in upholding team traditions as done in the past while adhering to present restrictions. She states the senior class does the best they can to keep the girls hyped up and the Big 12 Championship in mind throughout practicing and competing.

Sophomore diver Jayna Misra applauds the coaches for working endlessly to make these virtual meets as close to the real thing as possible. Misra states this form of competition has provided the safest way for family, friends and Iowa State fans to watch the swimmers and divers compete. Misra does, however, feel the absence of the fan atmosphere at Beyer Hall.

"I definitely miss looking up into the stands of Beyer and seeing my dad flashing a thumbs-up sign after each of my dives," Misra said.

With all the challenges imposed, Misra along with Tranel and the team have stayed positive throughout the many unknowns the season has entailed.

"This year is not what we expected, but I feel we are all stepping up to the challenge and adapting well to many changes, and making the best out of what we can," Tranel said. "Our motto this year is Semper Paratus, meaning 'always ready,' and I am confident, as a team, we will be."