By Jeff Odom
Since the programs’ inaugural season in 2007, the Sunlake boys and girls swim teams have been looking up at an opponent that has dominated Pasco County for a decade.
That team is the Land O’ Lakes Gators, who the Seahawks share their home pool with at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center.
“Their depth is absolutely incredible,” said Seahawks coach Glenna Chamberlain of Land O’ Lakes. “I credit that to their coaches and the club team coaches who work with them. They are just so strong. Every year we pull more kids into the excitement of our family. … We just build each year and it’s what we’re all about.”
Though the Seahawks have slowly climbed the ladder to respectability, they also feel like they have enough to compete with their cross-town rival, who handled them easily on the boys and girls sides 105-79 and 120-65, respectively, last regular season.
Junior Courtney Meyer, who was named a girls team captain this season, said the entire group has worked hard to prepare for 2012.
“It’s just going to have to take the dedication of everybody,” Meyer said. “We all got to want it, because Land O’ Lakes is really good. They expect to win every time, but if we come up, that would be the biggest moment for us and would be amazing.”
Meyer was a key member of Sunlake’s 400-yard freestyle relay last season, which returns three of its four swimmers including senior Nicole Harder.
Harder said improving her own times, along with teammates’, is crucial if the relay squad wants to return to regionals.
“Getting my best time at regionals in (the) 500 free(style) was probably my best memory from last year,” Harder said. “(The key) will be working as a team. We all have to.”
On the boys side, Tyler St. Onge has shown to be one of Sunlake’s fastest swimmers to open the campaign.
The junior, who moved to the United States from Indonesia two years ago, joined a club team during the summer to stay in shape, which took seconds off of his times.
St. Onge said the squads feed off Chamberlain’s energy as the coach is amped up and animated on the deck during the meets.
“To all of us, she’s not like a coach we see everyday and tells us what to do; she’s more like a mom to us,” St. Onge said. “She’s always there for us, and hearing her cheer for us always motivates us and is always a good thing to have.”
Teammate Matthew Perez, a senior and team captain, said Chamberlain has turned things up a notch with the programs.
“She’s a great coach and united us as a family,” Perez said. “We all work together without drama. … She’s the reason I am where I am today.”
Sunlake faces Land O’ Lakes Sept. 19 starting at 6 p.m.
