Swimming a 1:00.56 100-meter freestyle, a 27-second 50-meter freestyle and a 1:10 100-meter backstroke, senior Bianca Ramirez has earned her job as the captain of the swim team.
“Being available to lead a workout, count laps or listen is an important part of being a teammate,” Ramirez said. “I am thrilled to be a part of the MAC swim team because it is filled with hard-working, fun and goal-reaching teammates that I am pleased to call my friends.”

Ramirez joined the swim team freshman year in hopes of making friends and improving as a swimmer.“It was a good way to meet new friends since I didn’t know many people coming into high school,” Ramirez said. “Freshman year I was really into the sport of swimming, so my mind was set on swimming in college, but now I just do it for fun with my friends.” Ramirez swam for a club team outside of school from age 9 to the end of her junior year.

“Swimming on my high school team and club team was very different,” Ramirez said. “The sets and the mentality of what to expect from yourteam members were very different. Club was more serious, and with high school I could just take a step back and just enjoy the experience and have fun with my friends.”

Ramirez said that each year she’s been on the swim team she’s had a different experience.

“As a senior on the team you start to know every class and your relationship starts to build stronger with everyone, which I feel pulls you together as a team more,” Ramirez said. “And as a senior, I feel like it’s kind of our job to pull everyone together as a team. And it’s just more fun by senior year compared to freshman year.”

Freshman year through junior year, Ramirez typically swam the 500-meter freestyle. This year, she swims whatever event the team needs her to swim. As a result, she has competed in a lot of different events throughout the year.

“My least favorite thing to swim is the 200 IM, and my favorite is the 100 backstroke, but normally the coaches just put me in wherever they need me,” Ramirez said.

At the end of her junior year, swim team coach Jeffrey Rudy, discussed the role Bianca would play as a captain for the upcoming year.

“Being a captain is a big responsibility,” Ramirez said. “I have been a swimmer for so many years that I am pleased to share my experience and knowledge about the sport. Hard practices and bad days can be challenging, and I hope that my energy and enthusiasm for the sport as well as my positive attitude and support helps to keep everyone’s

spirits high.”

Ramirez has been thankful for the experiences the coaches have provided her and her teammates with over the years.

“Coach Rudy and Coach Long have been great coaches,” Ramirez said. “They have put in many hours of work to get the team where we are this season and continually provide us with encouragement, guidance and motivation at every practice and swim meet and are at every practice making sure we’re challenging ourselves.”

Looking back at all of her memories and stories she’s shared with her teammates, Ramirez cherishes the fun times she’s had at overnight swim meets and the meet where she
got her fastest time in her favorite event.

“At our meet in Corpus Christi I placed eighth in finals for my 100 backstroke and dropped three seconds from my original time,” Ramirez said. “I was really proud and amazed of myself because I haven’t been able to go that time since I quit club at the end of last year.”

After four years on the swim team, Ramirez hopes to leave the team’s spirits high and will miss all her friends and coaches that she’s grown close to over the years.

“I will miss my teammates and the fun memories we shared at away meets,” Ramirez said. “I have enjoyed my four years of swimming with the team, and it has been exciting to watch the team get better and progress from season to season and year to year. I hope that the team will remember that even though swimming can get really intense and competitive, you need to remember to just let loose and have fun.”

Graphic by Charlie Holden.