By Greg Ruda ’13, Staff Writer

Normally, you can expect a little correlation between the ups and downs of teams from sports that clump boys and girls together. In competition the genders are separated, but for the most part, the two squads are part of the same general ethos. They have the same coach, practice in the same location, and create a culture where a division between sexes is basically nonexistent. They are still one cohesive unit. That is exactly the case for the spirit of the Newark Academy swim team, but while the boys and girls see themselves as a tight knit bunch, they are facing very different predicted outcomes for their seasons.

For the women’s team, this season is about forgetting the past and moving on with a new confidence. The women’s team limped through the season to finish with a tough 2-9 record last year lacking a strong core of experienced racers, but after losing just two seniors, 2010 is looking like a year fit for steady maturation. Coach Blomn acknowledged the importance of bidding farewell to just a couple of competitors, and he is expecting “the girls to be much improved this year, because we have a lot of solid returning swimmers and two very good freshmen.” That freshmen duo includes Jordyn Norris and Remenna Xu, who are both expected to contribute heavily in the relays. They will add to the youth of a team that includes standout sophomore Jen Koide, who already has etched her name in N.A. swimming’s records after her spectacular freshman season.

Senior captain Brenna Gormally is feeling better about this year already, but not simply due to numbers. “We don’t just have a much larger team, but a lot more talent across the board.” Another factor that signals improvement: the emergence of a dedicated, and large senior unit, something that was lacking on last year’s youthful team. The senior class is led by captains Brenna Gormally and Katie Bu, and includes senior Ashley Ulrich as well, who together make up three quarters of the team’s fastest relays for last season. Everything is pointing to a titanic comeback in 2010-11 for the women’s squad, and it should only take a few victories before the sour taste of last year will disappear.

As for the men, this season is taking on a much different motif – one of continued perseverance and strength.  The team made it all the way to states last year on the back of a 7-5 regular season record, but most of that success was fueled by an extremely talented senior class. With swimmers like Peter Ingato ’10 and Spencer Rice ’10 no longer around, the Minutemen will have to show some real resilience to be competitive again. Captain Andrew Morrison ’11 does not think that will be a problem. “Sure we lost Peter and Spencer,” he said, “but I think this season should be a good one. We’ve got a lot of younger talent that will give us some depth, and a ton of returning guys that have all improved.”

Coach Blomn acknowledged the fact that the men’s team will have a thoroughly different mindset than their female counterparts, but he believed that with “hard work and improvement, they can have a very good team this year.” Morrison, co-captain Mike Alelov ’11, and Ben Aiken ’12 will highlight the experience needed to guide their younger teammates, but a youthful group filled with the talent of Arjun Arora ’13, Nathaniel Okun ’13, Bill Ulrich ’14, and Christopher Roser ’14, should not need much tutelage.

Although their team spirit and unity is at an all time high, do not be too quick to group N.A.’s men and women swimmers entirely together. The themes of the season will be starkly polar, but the goal remains the same: improve, and win.