After a dominant Metro League victory on November 1, the Lakeside girls swim and dive (LGSD) team has now won a whopping 14 straight Metro championships. The team went on to claim 2nd place at the 3A State Tournament on November 14 and 15. The Girls Swim & Dive team is potentially the most dominant Lakeside sports team.
As LGSD Program Head and Lakeside Assistant Director of Athletics Coach Kaitlyn Biehl put it, “I don’t think any other [team] has 14 straight Metro championships… I just think we’re a powerhouse.”
Behind the team’s consistent success in the pool is a tight-knit community and team-focused culture. When asked what has changed the most over the course of her nine years at Lakeside, Coach Biehl said, “In the best way, there hasn’t been too much that has changed. And I think that’s because the team culture is so strong and we have these [important] traditions.”
One of these traditions is “Swim Families”: the team splits up into small groups, or families, headed by seniors, and spends significant time in these groups.
The team also makes sure Metros the most spirited time of the season. Every year, the team captains make bracelets for every member of the team, even coaches, tying everyone together. The team tries to bring the most energy they can for Metros, given the championship’s magnitude. This year, they cheered their hearts out for their teammates with signs and even pompoms.
But this Metros spirit isn’t just limited to current members of the team; Swim & Dive alumni send in encouragement videos to the team, getting them hyped for their events.
Yet even more important than traditions is the sense of community amongst members of the team. Josephine T. ’27, who’s been on the swim team for three years, said she’s made many of her closest friends at Lakeside through LGSD. Both she and Coach Biehl mentioned the solidarity formed within the team, especially after grueling early morning practices.
Swim & Dive’s nature as a no-cut sport creates team-wide inclusivity, said Coach Biehl. And it’s not just that there aren’t cuts; the team isn’t split into Varsity and JV, meaning all members practice together every day. Metros is the last meet of the swim season and everyone, regardless of skill and experience, is typically able to compete, further contributing to the team atmosphere. Josephine put it best when she said at Metros, and with LGSD in general, “[E]ven if you’re new to swimming, you’re part of something bigger.”
