The swimming and diving state finals are still a month away with Division 1 teams heading to Oakland University and Division 2 teams competing at Calvin University on Nov. 18-19. With the final lap just around the corner, the Dexter team appears to be heading in the right direction with times dropping and confidence climbing.
The Dreadnaughts faced Division 1 state champion Pioneer last week and while coming up short on the scoreboard, came up big on the stopwatch and in the eyes of first-year coach Murphy Hansen, who is starting to see her team splash its way toward its full potential – after an expected adjustment period.
“With trials and tribulations, comes the opportunity for self-reflection and growth,” said Hansen. “Like any first-year head coach, it’s been an adjustment for me and my athletes who experienced a much different version of me. Their prior experience as a member of this team differed from the vision I had in mind for them, their teammates, and the future of this program.”
Hansen says she has had to “stop to pause and remind” herself that in order for athletes to trust her training program, they must experience proof that it works. However, that proof doesn’t appear until the very end of the season.
“I’ve had to call on my patience far more than I had anticipated, as the team continues to shift and adjust to my coaching philosophy,” she said.
But Hansen is starting to see different elements of the team culture she’s trying to build.
“There was more smiling, dancing, cheering, and hugging this last week, even though we’re still exhausted,” she said following the loss to Pioneer. “I knew I’d see the team I led into the start of the school year again. I just wasn’t sure when. Now, we can see the light at the end of this very long tunnel we call swim season with our conference meet just around the corner. We will reach the end of that tunnel together, arm in arm.”
During the MISCA meet last Saturday, Lily Witte broke the Calvin University Pool record for 11 dives. She also broke the Pioneer pool record last Thursday during the meet with the Pioneers.
Also at the MISCA meet, Delaney Parker had an outstanding swim in the 200 IM earning a state meet qualifying time and Jill Kinnard bettered her state meet qualifying times in both the 200 free and the 500 free.
On Thursday, Dexter cruised past visiting Lincoln 128-47 in an SEC dual-meet. The Dreadnaughts won all three relays and won all but one individual race against the Railsplitters.
The team of Jillian Kinnard, Harper Brown, Diem Lee and Grace McClellan won the medley relay in 2:01.01.
Delaney Parker won the 200 free in 2:06.26 with Emma Bishop second (2:14.57) and Sydney Collins third (2:24.84). Lee won the 200 IM (2:32.36). Marea Balcom won the 50 free (27.01) and McClellan was second (28.23).
Witte won diving with 310.40 points with Vivian Kinnard second (274.90) and Sefina Patterson third (203.7).
Brown won the 100 fly (1:07.63) with Sophia Marr second (1:19.04) and Rebekah Murillo third (1:19.09).
Balcom won the 100 free (58.04) with Parker second (59.09). Bishop went the distance to win the 500 free 6:09.43. Collins was second in 6:14.46.
Dexter’s 200 free relay team of Witte, Parker, Balcom and Brown took first in 1:46.17.
Jillian Kinnard won the backstroke (1:08.58) and Annie Ralls was second in the breaststroke (1:28.27).
The team of Balcom, Parker, Kinnard and Brown won the 400 free relay in 3:56.40.
