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Red Hawks Ready To Get Their Feet Wet
Ripon's swim team enters the 2009-10 season with a new head coach and a new identity. Jennifer Davis takes over the reigns for the Red Hawks, replacing Rick Coles, who manned that post for five years. Davis has plenty of experience and is excited to lead Ripon's swim team, as the men and women try to improve on last year's fourth and sixth place finish, respectively, at the 2009 MWC Championships last February.
"I've been swimming my entire life, so being the head coach here at Ripon is very honorable," Davis said. "I have a lot of ideas for the team and some things that I hope to do to improve the program and make it bigger and more recognizable."
One of those ideas is for the team to just have fun and enjoy swimming, which is something each member of the team has had a passion for their entire lives.
"The team has a lot of goals that they have set for themselves. I just want them to support each other and cheer on the other members of the team," Davis said. "Winning and losing shouldn't be their only focus. They should just enjoy being a part of a sport that they love."
The men's team has just two seniors on this year's squad, as Bruce Kukowski (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) and Severin Larsen (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) will try to provide some leadership.
Joining that duo will be Juniors Austin McNeal (Willits, Calif./Willits), Zach Smith (St. Louis, Mo./Webster), C.J. Marx (Manitowoc, Wis./Valders) and Patrick Shunk (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit).
The sophomore class of Lucas Ebert (Grafton, Wis./Grafton), Bill Rodgers (Edina, Minn./Edina), Brandon Taylor (Union, Ore./LaGrand) and Mike Shelafoe (Marquette, Mich./Marquette) will also look to contribute. Rodgers and Taylor joined Smith for 75 percent of last year's school-record breaking 200 freestyle relay team. That trio joined graduated senior Parker Heaps to swim a time of 1:31.96 in the event.
"Lucas, Austin, Brandon and Zach all bring something different to the pool," Davis said. "They all have a great influence over the other members of the team."
Trenton Cherco (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) and Daniel Miles (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) are the only two freshmen on the team. Although they will learn a thing or two from the upper classmen, they will also bring some support to the team as they enter their first season as a collegiate swimmer.
"Dan and Trenton have already contributed a great deal with their attitude and support for the team," said Davis.
Cherco is one of four swimmers on the team that competes in another sport at Ripon. That will do nothing but help them and their fellow teammates during the swimming season.
"Trenton, Zach, C.J. and Bill are in other sports, so they bring that camaraderie and support with them that they've learned as a student-athlete and that really helps the team as a whole," said Davis.
The Red Hawk women are a lot more senior-heavy than the men's team, as they feature eight swimmers in their final year with the team. Jenni Schalla (West Bend, Wis./West Bend), Jessica Powell (Berlin, Wis./Berlin) and Lauren Kelly (Plymouth, Wis./Plymouth) have arguably the most experience on the team.
Last season, Schalla and Powell joined junior captain Megan Rice (New Berlin, Wis./Waukesha Catholic Memorial) to break the school record in the 400 Medley Relay, along with graduated senior Katie Corbett. Schalla also holds the school record in the 400 IM, while teaming with Rice two years ago to form half of the school record-breaking team in the 200 Medley Relay.
Even though there are a lot of record holders on this year's team, the Red Hawks treat everyone as equals.
"The women's team has always been more of a group, so they support each other a lot," Davis said. "Right now, there hasn't been any individual that has stood out because they're more concerned about the team aspect of things."
The other seniors on this year's team are Katie Corbett (Burlington, Wis./Burlington Central Catholic), Clare Holte (St. Paul, Minn./Central), Davida Smith (Lisle, Ill./Illinois Math and Science Academy), Laura Yunger (Sauk City, Wis./Sauk Prairie) and Brittany Preischel, who joins the Red Hawks for her first season as a member of the team.
Rice is one of three juniors on the team. The others include Sara Laws (Jakarta, Indonesia, Jakarta International), who has gained valuable experience over the past two years and Carissa Turk (Richland Center, Wis./Richland Center), who is in her first year with the team.
"The junior class is impressive. Megan is a very good swimmer and Sara has also stepped up a lot so far," said Davis.
Aimee Kaczmarek (New Berlin, Wis./Nathan Hales) and Nikki Olson (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) each saw a lot of action last year as freshmen and will look to further their roles this season with one year of experience under their belts.
There is one freshman on this year's squad, as Alexandra Martin will join the fold.
"Everyone helps each other. I try to help freshmen as much as I can, but they've either come from a club team or a high school where they know what they're getting into as far as being on a team at this level," said Davis.
No matter what class a swimmer is in, one thing is certain. Everyone will be a part of the team and will factor into the team's ultimate goal.
"I want them to love what they're doing and know that winning or losing doesn't matter as much," Davis said. "The swimmers here are a part of a family and no matter what place we finish, we want to be able to say that we went all out and brought all of our attitude and energy and put it into each meet that we swam."
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