NK swim season finally leaves starting blocks

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, December 9, 2006

TACOMA — Thursday night, North Kitsap’s 2006-2007 swim season finally hit the pool.

After a slate of Vikings’ practices along with their first scheduled meet were cancelled due to inclement weather in the last week of November, North dove into the season at Mount Tahoma Thursday and came out with a 117-53 loss.

Despite the season-opening loss, North is looking forward to a season filled with potential for improvement. As the Vikes enter the Narrows League’s Bay division this year — with only one familiar opponent in Central Kitsap — preseason focus has fallen squarely on preparing themselves, coach Greg Braun said.

“We’ve got a number of guys that are starting off really well,” Braun said, pointing out Brian Surber who swam to a 1:25.5 finish for first place in the 100M breaststroke at Mt. Tahoma. “Individual-wise, I’m looking forward to watching these guys all getting faster. At their own level, they’ve all made strides.”

The season-opening meet wasn’t an ideal measure of those strides, however, as North was eight swimmers shy of a full roster due to somee members not having enough practices. North’s top-returner, Jeffrey Reeves, who Braun noted as the team’s vocal leader, was also absent Thursday.

“There have definitely been some changes made,” said another of the team’s leaders, senior Krister Seaberg. “We’ve definitely been working a lot harder in practice.”

However, the inconsistency with which the Vikings have been able to get into the pool during the preseason has been a detriment, Braun said. After starting out with a full week of practice, the Vikings had a shortened second week due to Thanksgiving and a mostly blank third week due to successive school closures.

Now the Vikings are back in their normal swing, however the school’s winter break (Dec. 18-Jan. 1) is looming just two weeks away.

“There’s a little bit of a backslide in the endurance, you kind of have to rebuild what you’ve done,” Braun said of the effects of the irregularity.

During the lack of practice over winter break, Braun said that some creative workouts will be needed. Team dry land exercises and individual workouts will be vital in order for the Vikes to build the base which they will need when tournament time — the Holy Grail of the swim season — comes at the end of February.

“A large portion of our team is new this year, and as a result there is just so much stuff to teach and to learn,” Braun said.

While the Viking returners like Seaberg are setting their sights in the post season.

“I really working towards getting a state time in the 100(M) butterfly, I haven’t been to state before,” the senior said. “Having the guys their to encourage you really helps.”

As the Vikings get better acquainted with each other, the team chemistry will likely enhance and increase. But for now, Braun said, the team is displaying the optimum mindset of any season’s beginning — excited desire.

The Vikings will take that energy into their first home meet of the season as they host Wilson at 3 p.m. Dec. 12, then they will be back the road, traveling to Gig Harbor to swim at 3 p.m. Dec. 14.

2006 North Kitsap High School Swimming Schedule

Date Opponent Site

Dec. 12 Wilson Home

Dec. 14 Gig Harbor Away

Dec. 19 South Kitsap Away

Jan. 4 Olympia Home

Jan. 11 Stadium Away

Jan. 18 Foss Away

Jan. 23 Lincoln Home

Jan. 25 Divisionals TBA

Feb. 1 District Diving TBA

Feb. 2 Districts TBA

Feb. 3 Districts TBA

Feb. 16 State King County Aquatic Center

Feb. 17 State King County Aquatic Center