Lansing returns to pool with young team

Lansing boys swimming has started practicing as one of the three low-risk sports currently active in the county. The team, like last year, is exceptionally young. There was just one senior on last year’s team, which placed fourth at the Section IV Championships, and that is the same case this year.

The team consists of one senior, four juniors, one sophomore, five freshmen and one eighth-grader. In a perfect world, for head coach Diane Hicks-Hughes, there would be a more sizable roster this season.

“We are not returning as many as I would like due to COVID,” she said. “Many parents do not feel comfortable with their athletes being in the environment, so they are virtual, and they are not going to participate in athletics. That’s the feeling for many teams. So, nobody really knows where we’re going to be.”

Practice has been successful thus far, with the team enjoying being together again after a very long year.

“The kids were just happy to be back in the water,” Hicks-Hughes said. “They did great. They were just happy to be back in the pool and back with their friends.”

During the offseason, Hicks-Hughes helped with the creation of the guidelines that will be followed for virtual meets this year. In fact, she is the president of the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA).

“I am just happy that the kids have the opportunity,” Hicks-Hughes said. “I am [the] one that worked with the national federation as the NISCA president, and NISCA and the national federation drew up the guidelines for virtual meets. So, I am just happy that kids can actually swim.”

In order to swim, protocols have to be followed properly. Hicks-Hughes discussed what needs to be done in order to hold practices and eventually meets.

“Every county in New York state has a health person that oversees the pool,” she said. “It seems that every county has interpreted the state regulations a little differently. So, for me, when I discussed it with them, I have to circle swim in two lanes. And the kids must stay 6 feet apart, so I have the kids starting at both ends of the pool. And that’s what we’re doing with three different setups. So far, it’s working.”

Competition and success are not as much of a priority this year after nine months of not having athletics. While it will be interesting to see where the Bobcats stack up in Section IV with another young roster, just being able to swim this year is enough.

“I honestly don’t have an expectation other than I want them to have fun, stay healthy and finish the season,” Hicks-Hughes said. “Mentally and emotionally, it’s huge. They just needed the outlet. I needed the outlet.”

With all the uncertainty that was surrounding athletics during the tail end of last year, the swimmers on the team took matters into their own hands to make sure they were ready when the time came.

“Sam [Debbie], the captain, did do a lot of group chats,” Hicks-Hughes said. “But as a whole, we did not do anything as a group because we weren’t allowed to. So, basically, the kids just talked among themselves.”

Leadership from the athletes has never been more important. Having a member of the team who can rally the others can be a great help for coaches in general.

“This is Sam’s third year as captain,” Hicks-Hughes said. “He takes the job very seriously. He does his very best to keep the guys interacting with one another, as well as supporting one another. He’s a great captain.”

Currently, boys swimming and bowling are the only sports taking place at Lansing. While Hicks-Hughes is happy to be able to work with her team again, she hopes the other winter teams will be able to join them soon.

Lansing made sure athletes stayed active while sports were on the backburner. They were one of the first schools in the county to establish an after-school workout program and have made many other adjustments to prepare for the return of sports.

“Our athletic director [Matt Loveless] and our administration has been great and trying to help support the kids in any way they can,” Hicks-Hughes said. “In the fall, I ran some girls swim workouts just to give the girls an emotional outlet. Many other sports did the same. So, our superintendent was great, very supportive of that, and the parents were very happy.”

Now that sports are back for Lansing, virtual swim meets will begin in the near future. There’s currently a slight delay as the IAC is waiting for all participating schools to return to in-person learning. The important thing is the Bobcats will be taking on other schools virtually soon.