This year’s swim season welcomed returning coach Taylor Sieperda to help with the weights program. Head coach Kyle Farrington said the addition of Sieperda to the coaching team allowed better assist all swimmers. Senior John Christianson agreed and said four coaches on staff allows them to help more athletes.
“We can spread out and give kids more feedback than we have been able to in the past,” Farrington said.
Sieperda worked as an assistant coach with Farrington previously at Northwest, from 2019-2022. This year, she took over the swim team weight training program. Sieperda said she uses her past experiences swimming at KU to help with her coaching today. According to Sieperda, in the sport of swimming, it is very important to use weights to help prevent injuries, which is what she calls “pre-hab.”
“Strengthening all those little muscles will help. So in the case that [the swimmers] are overusing it, they’re not solely relying on one or two muscles. They have a bunch of little ones to kind of help out when needed,” Sieperda said.
Christianson said overall the team has grown this year, not only in returning coaches but also because only one senior left the team last season. Farrington said the seniors this year have showcased leadership even as underclassmen, making the atmosphere on the team similar to the past few years.
“(The seniors are) such strong leaders I think it helps the leadership message translate [to the younger swimmers],” Farrington said.
Christianson said he is hoping to get some of the new underclassmen swimmers to place well in big meets so the team can move up in rankings.
“We have a bunch of younger guys stepping up to some of those problem areas that we have, to take over some of those events that a lot of other people haven’t done at a high level,” Farrington said.
According to Farrington, the team is currently seated third in the EKL after defeating teams like Olathe East and Blue Valley Southwest. Christianson said he is hoping to win the medley relay and get some teammates individual medals at the EKL meet coming up in February.