This weekend, Westside’s swim team will compete in the State swim meet in Lincoln, with prelims Friday and finals Saturday. Freshman Grace Berentson and Senior Elizabeth Amato-Hanner will be two of 15 students representing Westside at the meet.

“During the swimming season, we have eight practices a week,” Berentson said. “Some days we have two-a-days [practice in the morning and after school], and sometimes we only have one practice after school. I have to be at school at about 6:15 in the morning, and we practice until 7 in the morning. After school, we go from about 3:30 to 6 at night. 

Throughout the season, the state-qualifiying swimmers worked hard to earn their positions on the state team.

“I qualified for state in the Metro swim meet that was about 2 weeks ago,” Berentson said. “I did a 100 meter breaststroke in 1 minute and 14 seconds, and I was in the top 32 people of the meet.”

These swimmers are constantly working towards their goals.

“Before my races I get kind of nervous sometimes, so I do things to cool me down,” Amato-Hanner said. “I like to keep moving and not really think too much. I like to keep it super light and listen to fun music that makes me smile.”

The Westside swim team has bonded this season over many practices, team dinners and rituals that they do before their meets.

“Out of about 60 swimmers at Westside, only about 15 qualified for state, five being freshmen,” Berentson said. “Before we swim at meets, all of the girls dye a piece of their hair red. We also have team dinners before meets, we all decorate each other’s rooms, and make towels to use at the meet.”

Although the swimming season has almost come to an end, the state swimmers have not stopped working for their goal of winning the state meet.

“We are on tapper right now, which means that we swim less during practice and we are focusing more on technique and speed work, so you could say that it is easier, but it’s really just more mental workouts compared to the hard physical ones during the season,” Amato-Hanner said.

Berentson and Amato-Hanner will be representing Westside High School Friday and Saturday Feb. 26-27 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.