By Stephen Levitt ‘22, Sports Editor

Limited meet times, strict protocols, and virtual meets. These nightmare conditions brought upon by the pandemic fazed many teams across the country. However Newark Academy Boys’ Swimming was not one of them. Finishing 8-1, Boys’ swimming had one of their best seasons in recent history, earning second place in the SEC division. This incredible season was highlighted by a key 93-77 victory over 9-3 Montclair for the first time in 20 years and a decisive 101-69 victory over 8-3 Livingston, which helped them earn a ranking of #14 in the state (according to njsports.com). However, Newark Academy did not only enjoy leaving their mark in the win column, but broke several records over the course of the season. Notably, Ali Elmasry ’22 broke 4 school records and was a part of various group relay records, including the 400 Free Relay with Ryan Kim ’22, Owen Markowitz ‘23, and Brandon Cortez ’22, in which they had a time of 3:16.08. A successful season without a doubt, NA Boys’ swimming was able to overcome the many obstacles faced during the year through hard work, amazing chemistry, and high expectations. 

Hard work is always key for a team’s success, but in a year when teams have limited gatherings and success depends upon individual hard work, NA Boys’ Swimming showed that they were all in through their proven dedication. Junior Ali Elmasry identifies this collective effort as the most important factor in their historic season. He says, “I would attribute the majority of the swim team’s success to the individual commitment everyone shows. Every single swimmer on the team has a goal to achieve whether it is going for a best time, scoring points for the team, or breaking records.” This priority on work ethic was echoed by teammate Ryan Kim ’22 who said, “Everybody came to each meet with a great mentality and was willing to give it their all.” While hard work may have looked a little different this year, requiring more out of school individual effort, the team’s chemistry hadn’t changed at all.

Despite fewer chances to connect and form trust between teammates in person, Kim says, “The season didn’t feel different in terms of team chemistry.” Kim goes on to say that the team “always had fun but was also able to perform at a high level.” With fewer opportunities to form team chemistry in the pool, teammates prioritized checking in with each other outside of their allotted swim times. Elmasry explains this commitment to helping each other out, as he says, “Everyday, we would check in with one another in-person or through our group chat.” He also went on to explain that the team “always made sure [they] were there when someone wasn’t having their [best] day or needed help in school.” Through this emphasis on building relationships that go beyond just the swimming meets, the Newark Academy Boys’ swimming team was able to build a bond that Elmasry describes as “second to none.”

The last key component to their successful season was setting high expectations. Coming into the season, Kim recounts the team setting the expectation to “go at least 7-2”. However, he points out the unexpected nature of being ranked 14th in the state by nj.com. Moving forward, the Newark Academy Boys’ Swimming team shows no signs of stopping, as Kim points out that new expectations for the upcoming season will include feats like going undefeated, making it to the finals of the state tournament, being ranked in the top 5, and becoming county champions. Elmasry expresses a similar desire to keep setting new expectations as he says, “After all the success the team saw this year, each one of us isn’t satisfied yet, we all need more. Success is addicting.” With the ambitious mindset of the Newark Academy Boys’ swimming team and their ongoing commitment, they are destined for another great year in 2022.