There is no shortage of strong swimmers on the Conant swim team this winter, but there’s one thing they can’t do – keep up with Kristyn Simoneau.
“You’re trying to break through a wall, trying to catch her, but we all know on this team – no one’s going to catch her,” said junior Brent Smith after a recent practice at the Clark Memorial YMCA in Winchendon.
Simoneau’s made the state meet every year, and this, her senior season, is no exception. She’s already qualified for States in the 50 Free, 100 Butterfly and 100 Backstroke and has a shot at the podium in whichever two she chooses to swim.
“Kristyn’s a really remarkable swimmer,” said coach Margie Clark-Kevan. “She just always works hard, she always comes up after a race and analyzes the race. She’s trying to improve even though she typically gets first every time.”
For now, improving means cutting her 100 Fly time down to under a minute – she’s at 1:01 right now – and getting better than fifth at the state meet.
“I’ve been working hard and I’m hopefully going to medal at States so I’m really working toward that,” Simoneau said. “It’s hard but with hard work it’s doable.”
Senior Kole Patten isn’t unrealistic about his abilities. He’s an excellent, lifelong swimmer, since the day his family moved next door to the Clark-Kevan’s and got recruited, but any thoughts of topping older brother Kory’s feats have been abandoned.
“I’m trying to live up to big brother, state champion, but it’s not going to happen,” Patten said, “so I’m trying to go out with a bang. Senior year, I’m just working as hard as I possibly can, because I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Patten’s been focused on pumping up the underclassmen while trying to shave seconds off his own times; even if a state meet berth isn’t in the cards – and it could be – the competition against one’s self is big in swimming.
“It’s a good sport, sort of like track and field, you can push your body to the limit,” Patten said. Smith is having a big year in his junior season, qualifying for states in two events in the first meet.
”Getting that off your chest and getting ready early is big,” Smith said.
Seniors Joe Muhonen, Felicia DeSteph and Lily Germano are also swimming well in their senior seasons; junior Carly LaBrecque looks good, too, and her younger brother Scott leads a class of freshmen who are ready to make the leap. Scott’s already qualified in one event, and fellow freshmen Garrett Cournoyer and Elsi Ojanen aren’t far behind.
“It pushes me a little knowing that I have a couple freshmen right on my tail,” Smith said, “and I’m just trying to teach them who’s boss.”
After an away meet and the next day’s practice, the team was still in high spirits, and played a game of water polo to blow off some steam.