“This year we are more of a team then we were my last two years,” junior Emma Barnes said.

The girls swim and dive have had a winning season and even more importantly have come together as a team.

Other swimmers feel the same way, including sophomore Grace Hansen. Hansen said, “We have grown as a team to support each other in all of our meets and individual goals.”

Captains senior Shelby Ripp and senior Alexis Poe work hard to make sure their team is together as one and has bonded as a team. Poe and Ripp plan team dinners and a scavenger hunt that everyone enjoyed.

They also have a big responsibility of making sure everyone keeps their head held high.

“Being captain just pretty much means keeping up the tradition and making sure we keep our cheers going, and doing the fun team bonding,” Ripp said.

Like Ripp, Poe also enjoys the emotional connection and the team activities.

“I love being able to schedule team bonding and get the team to become really close. We also try our best to give guidance to the underclassman and help them with anything they need and give them instructions during meets or practices,” Poe said.

Shelby has a vested interest in supporting the younger girls on the team because one of them is her sister, freshman Maggie Ripp.
“It’s really exciting being on a team with my sister because she’s super nice to me, and she’s a senior so she’s like my mom on the on the swim team,” Maggie said.

Maggie strives to be like her sister and it makes her work harder each practice and meet.

Maggie has even qualified for state in the 100 back with a time of 1:04.57.

The girls not only have bonded but have worked incredibly hard to accomplish their goals.

They have had many meets where they compete against multiple schools, but the one that stands out the most is the out of town tournament in Cape Girardeau. Parkway Central got fifth overall out of 25 teams.

Not only did they place well, but this meet brought them together as a team.

“The Cape Girardeau meet is our travel meet and that’s always a lot of fun. Just team bonding wise and we kinda have brought vine back, which is always a good thing,” Shelby said.

The girls dive team has also had a winning season.

Freshman Kate Orso said,”We all did good. Everyone learned a half a list (six dives) and learned more dives to compete. Everyone who competed at the competition in Cape Girardeau did really good and we had a lot of fun.”

Sophomore Catherine Ke said, “I enjoy dive because of the experiences with the people and how we bond everyday inside and outside of school.”

Sophomore Lily Eckenrode broke a school record with a score of 241.25 doing 6 dives consisting of back one and half half (back one somersault with a half twist and dive in.) forward one sumersault one twist (front flip full twist.) back one and one half somersault (back one half) forward two somersaults (double) reverse dive, inward and one half somersaults. (inward one half)

Shelby Ripp has qualified for state in the 200 Individual Medley with a time of 2:16.31, 100 breast with 1:11.75, and 500 free with 5:28.26.

Alexis Poe will be competing in the 50 free with 25.12 and 100 free with 54.92.

Sophomore Abby Levine has qualified in the 100 breast with a time of 1:07.79, and 100 butterfly with 1:01.04.

Junior Becca Waxberg has qualified for the 100 butterfly with 1:01.61.  Lastly, Parkway Central has qualified in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:54.67 and the 400 free relay with 3:54.17.