Despite losing several key seniors to graduation last year, the Solon High School Swimming and Diving team hasn’t let such a setback derail their hopes of winning a state championship. In fact, their recent dominance in the Greater Cleveland Conference is indicative of what they hope to achieve going forward.

The boys are sending 12 team members to the district meet (Feb. 18) after placing second in the GCC and winning both the GCC meet as well as the NE sectionals meet. The girls team placed second in the NE sectionals meet and will also be sending 12 members to Districts.

Mike Davidson, head coach of the boys team, described some of the qualities that his team possesses that has made his experience coaching all the more enjoyable.

“[My favorite part of coaching is] watching the individuals grow and develop over their four year career– not just with time improvement, but personal growth as well,” Davidson said. “The team unity, culture development and the progress of the team is also very motivating.”

With the team moving on to Districts at Cleveland State University this Saturday, Davidson believes that the opportunities are limitless for his swimmers.

“They are capable of achieving great things and our overall goal is to send swimmers and divers to the 2017 Ohio HS State Championship in Canton next week,” Davidson said.

Dane Boszvai, a senior swimmer on the team, has learned a lot since joining the high school team as a freshman. He credits his teammates and coaches for helping him become the swimmer he is today.

“During my four years on the swimming and diving team my coaches have taught me to be not only the best swimmer I am capable of, but also the best person I can be,” Boszvai said. “They have taught me lessons both in and out of the water…I feel like everyone needs some emotional support to help really understand what they can do in life.”

For any four-year athlete, graduation means leaving behind a team that has helped mold them during their entire high school career. For Boszvai, it will be heartbreaking, to say the least.

“I’m going to miss all the friends I’ve made in my four years, friends that now, after hours and hours of training, I now think of as my second family,” Boszvai said. “I’m going to miss it all, and there is so much that I take for granted with this team that I don’t even know I’m going to miss yet.”

Karen Dong, a senior swimmer for the team, described the rigorous training that the team must endure not just during the season, but in the offseason as well.

“Those of us that do club training continue to lift and swim during the week, but summer training is slightly different from high school training because we do it in a 50 meter pool instead of a 25 meter pool,” Dong said. “However, when high school season comes around, we all train nearly 24 hours a week with nine practices per week, three of them being early morning before school practices.”

According to both Dong and Boszvai, the bond that the swim team shares is unlike many in high school sports today. Win or lose, the friendships made in and out of the water will last a lifetime.

“What makes the swim team unique is that most of us have known each other since we were really young, some since around 7-8 years old, and we’ve all been friends for the entire time through the sport,” Dong said. “Swimming for Solon, and having the team behind [you], is literally having 40-50 of the most reliable people on the planet to back you up whenever you need it.”