by Lauren Dougherty ’19, Staff Writer

Despite a small roster, the boys’ swim team has exceeded expectations and finished with a record of 6-7 in a competitive conference. While this is an admirable record on its own, it is even more impressive considering the team only has 8 swimmers. Before the season even began, captain Ryan Gajarawala ’18 said that this would be a rebuilding year due to the loss of 6 key seniors and the small size of the team. These expectations were pleasantly broken, with the team experiencing unanticipated success.

Some highlights of the season include a nail-biting win against West Essex and stellar individual performances in the conference championship. West Essex has a team twice the size of Newark Academy boys’ swim team. Despite the clear difference in size, the boys continued to believe in themselves and were able to pull off a close win, with a final score of 88-78. This big win against a larger public school like West Essex demonstrates that in spite of the team’s small size, they make up for it in talent and spirit. Another exciting meet was the SEC Conference Championships, where there were some exciting individual performances, particularly by David You ‘19. David finished 5th in the county for the 100-yard freestyle with an impressive time of 52.50. When asked about the main reasons why the season has been successful, captain Ryan Gajarawala ’18 noted that “performances like David at counties” have contributed to their unexpected success. It is important to note that at the county championships, a number of swimmers were not present due to illness, which emphasizes just how strong this team really is.

Some teams the boys compete against have more than 30 swimmers, such as schools like Livingston or Columbia, whereas our swim team only has 8. Although these teams have clear advantages in size, making it very difficult for small schools like Newark Academy to pull out wins against them, the boys’ swim team has been able to keep up with their larger competitors, undoubtedly because of their strong work ethic, team spirit, and perseverance. While having to deal with such clear disadvantages can be daunting, the team is able to keep a positive and competitive atmosphere. With such a small group, each swimmer is equally as valuable and important to the team, which only stresses the importance of teamwork.

The boys’ swim team is just one example of many teams at NA that continue to thrive despite small numbers. Newark Academy is usually one of the smallest in their conferences and NA often competes against large public schools twice the size of our own. A smaller team only enhances qualities like teamwork and determination. With a very impressive record of 6-7 for a team of only nine, the the Newark Academy Boys’ Swim Team certainly had a memorable season, and hopes to continue crushing their doubts and surpassing expectations next year.