By Ryan Fantasia

Winsor’s Varsity swim team capped off an impressive 2022–23 season with a strong finish at the Eastern Independent League (EIL) Championship meet, finishing in 2nd place with an outstanding 15 personal best times, a new school record in the 100 yard butterfly event, set by Sophia Cukras ’26, and victories in two out of three relay events. Additionally, the team finished the regular season undefeated, the first time in school history that the swim team has accomplished this feat. 

Captains Holiday Host ’23 and Lidia Rodriguez ’23 cited a variety of reasons for the team’s success this year. Host noted that the depth of their team was a significant factor in the victories, expressing that Winsor “had a lot of really dynamic, hard-working swimmers this year, and every single member was a major contributor to the score during meets.” She also added that the team dynamic was crucial in cultivating a winning season, sharing that “shared positivity [and] lots of cheering at every meet” were results of their close bonds. Rodriguez elaborated on this idea, sharing that “going into this year, Holiday and I really wanted the team to have a strong dynamic. We did our best to host team dinners, meetings, and goal sessions to keep the team engaged and make every swimmer feel supported.” 

When asked about their goals heading into the season, Host and Rodriguez shared a myriad of goals for the team both in and out of the water. Host, who just concluded her seventh season on the varsity team, shared that her personal goal was to “close out on a high note by doing everything to the best of my ability—both in regards to my role as team captain as well as personal performance in the water.” Rodriguez agreed, adding that “looking back, we accomplished these goals more so than I thought we would with an undefeated season.” They both cited their impressive season as an example of success in the water; Host mentioned that the “degree of spirit, positivity, and bondedness the team displayed throughout the season, especially during close meets and challenging sets,” was instrumental in their success. 

This year’s EIL Championship meet served as a culmination of the team’s hard work and dedication throughout the season, and they achieved an impressive 2nd place finish after a tough fight against Dana Hall, losing by just seven points. Rodriguez shared that their main goal was “to simply do our best,” and Host added that she was “so proud of everyone!” Bonnie Li ’24 added on to the captains’ sentiment, noting that she was “very happy with the way the team was able to rally and put up a good fight against a very strong Dana Hall team.”

Ultimately, the Winsor Varsity Swim Team had an amazing season, and we’re looking forward to seeing what amazing feats they can accomplish next year!