Spartans take advantage of winter ‘break’

Despite the three-week gap between Metro League meets due to the holiday break, the Bainbridge boys swim team isn’t taking any time off. Instead, the Spartans are ramping up the intensity with two-a-day practices.

“If you want to be competitive you can’t train for four weeks, take two weeks off, come back for six or eight and expect to make much of a splash,” coach Greg Colby said.

The Spartans will hold six days of two-a-day practices during the break, which consist of weights and pool time.

“You take the stress of school away, and it’s amazing the workload that kids can handle,” Colby said. “But you’ve got to convince them and motivate them to realize this is a place where you can get ahead of your competitors.”

The Spartans have posted state-qualifying times in all but three events: diving, the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The Spartans recorded their ninth state-qualifying time on their way to victories over Chief Sealth and West Seattle Dec. 18.

Senior David Ortyn qualified for his fourth event – the 200-yard individual medley – in five meets. Ortyn, a senior, has also qualified for the 100 backstroke, the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly.

Colin Chupik has qualified for the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle, and Andrew McCarthy in the 500 freestyle.

“All of those are done just by a couple of kids,” Colby said. “But they’re only going to be able to swim two at the state meet.”

Senior Cody Jenkins missed the state time in the 100-yard butterfly by 1.7 seconds Dec. 18.

“It’s a pretty good distance away from qualifying,” Colby said. “He’s been 55 (seconds) flat so we know he can go, we just need him to pop.”

For the second half of the season, the Spartans will put its four fastest swimmers in the 200-yard freestyle relay in order to meet the state qualifying time.

The Spartans will take on O’Dea in their next meet at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 8.

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