Dryden girls swimming continues turnaround season

The Dryden girls swimming team is a worthy candidate for the most improved team in the area.

Last season, the Purple Lions finished under .500 in their meets and finished fifth at the IAC Championships. This time around, Dryden went 7-2 and placed second at IACs, only behind the Schuyler Storm (a combined team of swimmers of Odessa-Montour and Watkins Glen).

Leading the Purple Lions is a familiar face to the Dryden swimming scene. Ryan Carmody, who is also the boys swimming head coach, took over this season from Jon Singer. Despite last season’s losing record, Carmody credited Singer for setting the Purple Lions up for a rewarding 2022 campaign.

“Last year, coach Singer had been with the team for a little bit, and he had a great foundation with them,” Carmody said. “They’re a young group, so they already had great technique. When I came into the year, I just had to push them a little bit. But they were set before the season. They would have succeeded either way. It’s just that they’re coming of age.”

Carmody also praised the three seniors on the team (Carlea Davis, Amaya Rose and Grace Walden) for the strong leadership they’ve demonstrated all year.

“Our three senior captains all do a really, really great job of keeping the team really close-knit,” Carmody said. “Quite frankly, this is one of the most close-knit teams I’ve ever coached in my career. So, it’s really cool to see it and the benefits are obviously paying off for them.”

Carmody continued.

“They all do the best job of mentoring the younger kids and making sure they’re all doing what they’re supposed to be doing, like making sure everybody’s getting all their sets in and that everybody’s doing the best technique possible as they’re swimming,” he said. “Outside of that, they do an awesome job of making sure the team is bonding in ways they all do. They do the most stuff outside of practice out of any team I’ve ever coached as far as little traditions go.”

While there’s plenty of talent throughout the team, the standout swimmer has been Laura Clark. The sophomore finished second at IACs in the 100 breaststroke and has frequently put up solid showings in the 200 individual medley, making Clark a versatile threat.

“It’s really cool having someone who I can plug and play just about anywhere,” Carmody said. “What she brings to the team is kind of like a jack of all trades. It’s absolutely crucial to have someone like that on a team. She is one of the hardest workers I’ve had at practice, so her hard work and practice is obviously showing up now. Her being a sophomore and placing second is awesome, so I’m excited for the future for her.”

Another swimmer who’s impressed so far is also the youngest on the team. Reagan Burnham is the lone eighth grader on the Purple Lions, but some of her performances indicate the future is also bright for her.

“She’s someone who works really hard,” Carmody said. “She swims year round at another club outside of school, so she’s got a great foundation coming into the year. Her best 500 freestyle time last year was 6:50, and she’s down to 6:20 now, so she’s really maturing and showing a lot of progress there. It’s been really cool to see, and I’m very excited for the future for her.”

Coaching swimming is much different than other sports. Unlike soccer and basketball, there isn’t any room to set up tactics or draw up plays. Instead, the focus is on the finer details.

“Technique in the water is so crucial, just to make sure they’re maximizing every single stroke and making it a lot easier to swim through the water for themselves,” Carmody said. “A lot of times, people struggle with swimming because their technique is all over the place, and they’re fighting the water as opposed to using it to their advantage.”

The Purple Lions look to continue their success into sectional play, as the preliminary meet takes place Nov. 2. Each swimmer will compete at the meet, and the top 16 in each event will advance to the Section IV Class C finals Nov. 5. Carmody will make sure his team is fully prepared to cap off an already positive season on a high note.

“[We’re] making sure that the girls are doing exactly what they should be doing after practice where the other 22 hours afterwards are just as important — if not more important — right now in the season,” Carmody said. “[We’re] making sure they’re recovering as much as possible and getting the best nutrition possible so they’re rested and ready to go for those meets. These girls have been swimming these events all season so they’re prepared for them [and] they’re ready to go for it.”

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