Members of the men’s swim team dive into the pool. The St. Thomas swim and dive teams unofficially began their seasons on Sept. 28. at the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. (Dom Tritchler/The Crest) 
A member of the men’s swim team freestyle across the pool of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. (Dom Tritchler/The Crest) 
Members of the men’s swim team swim freestyle across the pool of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. (Dom Tritchler/The Crest)
The St. Thomas swim and dive teams unofficially began their seasons on Sept. 28. at the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex.
The swim team welcomed new coach Matt Bos this year, after previous head coach Scott Blanchard left the team one month prior to their final meet of the season. Assistant coach Anna Moore led the teams to place sixth at the Summit League Championship Meet.
“I think that coach Bos and coach Moore really work well together, and they do a really good job of walking the fine line between being competitive and being tough, but also being fair and being fun,” senior Grace Schorer said.
Last season, Schorer placed within the top 20 in the 400 yard- IM at the championship meet, and placed second in the 200-yard backstroke against Green Bay.
“We are going to work hard in the pool and they’re going to make tough sets that are difficult. But at the same time, there’s a purpose behind every set. I have fun showing up to practice even when I’m here at six in the morning, there’s music playing and everybody’s in good spirits. They are doing a really good job of keeping the energy high while still getting in the work that we need to do well this season,” Schorer said.
Bos helps run afternoon practices six times a week, as well as morning practices. But senior Garrett Maras said that he plans the rigorous schedule well.
“I’d say he’s really organized; he has a plan. Everything’s thought out, even the little things, he’s just got it there. You’re gonna straight up ask him, why are we doing this? And he’ll have a response and he’ll tell you we need to do this so we can do this, and this will help this,” Maras said.
Maras finished third in the 200 yard freestyle in a meet against Augustana last October and finished fifth in the 50 freestyle against Milwaukee last February.
“Gives you kind of peace of mind knowing that you’re not just swimming … there’s a purpose behind everything that we do in practice” Maras said.
Bos has experience working for two other teams within the Summit League: Indiana University– Purdue University Indianapolis and Eastern Illinois University.
“I’m excited because I know a lot of people, a lot of the other coaches in the Summit League are people that I have known for a long time, some of them a couple decades,” Bos said, “So I’m excited just to get back to competing with all these teams and being here; I think this is an opportunity for them to bring this program to move up to some of these standings. So I’m really looking forward to it.”
The team broke four men’s and four women’s records last season at the Summit League Championship meet.
“Some records will go down,” Maras said, “I feel like there’s a lot of fast swimmers. The training has been really great, and I think this year Coach Bos has a really good plan and has us set up for success.”
Bos’ formula for building a winning program is more than just training in the pool. He has a tradition that comes from his past head coach position at Eastern Illinois back in 2008.
“Last couple weeks of the season before our biggest meets, I typically will only let them play bluegrass music,” Bos said, “Every year after that, I decided to do that leading into the championship. So it’s kind of stuck. A tradition was born.”
The next meet is Friday, Oct. 18 at the University of Minnesota’s Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
Elizabeth Dickey can be reached at ehdickey@stthomas.edu.