Captains of the Week: Boys Varsity Swimming

By JOONYOUNG HEO, CJ SMITH

Boys’ varsity swimming senior captains Ethan Van de Water, Georgie Venci, and Hayden Giles exhibit leadership and tenacity both in and out of the pool. Their work together has allowed them to guide the team to an undefeated season thus far.

Walking into a swim team practice, it’s impossible to miss the energetic atmosphere that surrounds the pool. Swimmers moving up and down the lanes, giving each other high-fives, sharing smiles–– the team never fails to exude positivity during their tough sets.

 “Swimming is one of those things–– it can be really hard if you’re trying to do it all by yourself,” E. Van de Water said. “So being able to work hard with a bunch of your friends in the pool every day is probably a highlight of the swim team for me.” 

Upper Andrew Van de Water agreed, highlighting the unique energy of the team. “I’d say the team’s just really supportive,” he said. “You know, sports can get very competitive, like you’re fighting for the top spots and you’re trying to beat each other. But on our team, we’re only focused on being the best team that we can. Because you can’t win a meet by yourself––it’s your entire team that can. So when somebody drops time or if they beat some record, we’re all very supportive.”

“Recently, it was one of my teammates’ birthdays, and our coach has this tradition where if he could beat a certain time, we all get the day off,” prep Rudd Day said. “So, someone pulled out an old suit and he got in the water. As soon as he dove off the blocks, we were all screaming our heads off, and banging kickboards against the blocks. He was able to beat the time, and it was probably the coolest thing that’s happened at practice so far this year.”

The team credited the captains for fostering an environment that encourages hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to swim as a team. “Our dual meet against St. John’s Prep really showed how everyone is willing to put it on the line for the team. The captains lead the charge,” boys’ varsity swimming head coach Don Mills said.

Prep Ethan Guo described the captains as cornerstones to the team itself. “The captains are like your go-to hype man,” Guo said. “They’re always there for everybody making sure everybody is doing their best, making sure everybody is okay. They’re just really great role models for everybody on the team.”

“The fact that they’re in the pool with us, doing the training with us, is really the main difference between the captains and the coaches,” A. Van de Water said. “Coach Mills is essentially trying to do all the same things that the captains are, but the captains are also experiencing what we’re experiencing and they’re giving feedback to the coaches. That makes the player-captain and player-coach dynamics different, in a good way.”

The player-captain dynamic is also different in that the captains are with them outside the pool, maintaining the team spirit every day. “We all have a group chat that we share and Hayden, Georgie, and Ethan are constantly organizing stuff to do as a team,” prep Henry Fipp said. “They’ll be like, hey, let’s go down to Las Olas guys, or let’s meet outside Elm. They’re always hyping us up as a team, making sure we all know where to go.”

Lower Charlie Gao elaborated on the captains’ responsibilities to the team as well as their unique leadership styles. “The most important thing a captain can do is to make sure the team develops a sense of community. The captains do that really well . . . they create that camaraderie in the team.”

The captains have done a great job of keeping the team together, in spite of some challenges. “During COVID, we couldn’t swim in the pool, so our coach told us to go on a walk as a team, and we ended up going down to the Exeter River, which at the time was frozen over. And I just remember, the captains made the walk really nice. We had hot chocolate, and we were tossing these big chunks of ice onto the river to see how far they would go. That was an incredible bonding moment for the team,” Fipp said.

In each of their practices, the dedication of the captains have shone through. “The captains help a lot with technique and sometimes give small pointers after races,” Day said. “Hayden has a shoulder injury right now, so he’s been having to sit out on some practices, but he always stays on the pool deck. Even when he can’t swim, he is doing his part to make the team the best we can be.”

“The other two captains, Ethan and Georgie, are always in the water. When we are in the middle of a tough set, they are always trying to motivate the younger guys, making sure we are giving it our best effort throughout the whole practice. It keeps me wanting to come back to the pool every day, ready to improve,” Day said.

“I also work hard to advocate on behalf of the swimmers to coaches, if everyone is super exhausted, or getting tired during a practice,” Venci said. 

The captains have learned to model their leadership after past swim team captains. “I was a member of my swim team at my old high school, before coming to Exeter,” E. Van de Water said. “I basically strive to be just like them. They were people who I could always ask a question to and I was never uncomfortable talking to them. So that’s the role I’m trying to fill on our swim team as well.”

Giles reflected on how his role as a captain has affected his life outside of the pool. “I think it’s made me be a little bit more aware of what’s around me and of reaching out to kids that I wouldn’t necessarily be inclined to reach out to otherwise … And I think that discipline comes along with being a captain, like showing up every single day with a smile on your face and just giving it your all leading through example like that I think has just added some discipline in my life,” Giles said.

Venci concluded with a hopeful outlook on the rest of the season. “I hope to continue the positive attitude the team has right now facing homework, training,  and uncertainty, and make the best of the rest of the season. Of course, being a team means staying connected beyond our designated term, so maintaining that sense of sportsmanship and support as we go into Spring Term and eventually the summer,” Venci said.