It’s swim season at Mesa and the team has already started preparing for championship meets at the end of the season.

With a successful season last year, swim coach Jim Fegan still encourages success.

“We will try to continue the success we have had,” said Fegan. “The women won the PCAC Championships last year, were undefeated in dual meets and finished in 5th place at the State Championships.”

Fegan is very confident in his returners, but also has high hopes for the new swimmers.

“With most of the state qualifiers back and some talented freshmen we should repeat as conference champs,” said Fegan. “And [we] are hoping to move higher at the state championships.”

Still early in the season, the team is focusing on technique and preparing for the state championships.

With last year’s successful season behind them, they are reaching for a higher finish in the state tournament and a repeat conference championship.

Besides the team goals, each athlete is reaching for their personal achievements as well.

“Individually, each athlete works on setting realistic goals that can complement the team goals,” said Fegan. “We have girls trying to defend the state titles won last year to girls trying to make finals at our conference meet. We have been able to create a very positive [atmosphere] and all team members to contribute.”

Although Fegan believes with such a successful season last year that not many changes need to be made, they have had to make adjustments to their training due to a training class being cut.

“With last year’s success we have tried not to make too many changes,” said Fegan. “However, with the cut back in classes we lost a weight training class that the team used as part of our training and we have had to adjust.”

“Last year we had a larger team with around 35 women, but this year we are at 25 which is a more typical number but doesn’t give us the depth for meets,” he said.

With the team’s coming schedule, they prepare for the Chaffey Invitational at Chaffey College March 12-13, as well as the next meet at Mesa against Mt. San Antonio.