Senior Night for the Milford boys swim and dive team was Jan 24. The team came out of the locker room cheering and chanting. Forming a huddle, the team energetically spelled out the word Milford letter by letter. All the while, The Pinckney team stared in awe of the Milford team’s audacious performance.

Seniors are typically the strongest athletes and leaders. This was very evident while watching the meet and the interactions between teammates. The roster for the Milford boys swim and dive team has seven seniors this year: Brad Simonich, Tom Diaz, Shane Chwalek, Derek Beslock, Travis Andrud, JD Brancheau, and Jon Tyl.

 Not only do these boys encourage their younger teammates, but also five of the seven seniors have broken school records (Simonich, Diaz, Beslock, Andrud, and Brancheau).  In addition, the 200 medley relay team of Brancheau, Beslock, Andrud, and Simonich qualified for states, a first time achievement for Milford.

With such a strong senior roster senior night was a much anticipated event. The desire to win was increase by the fact that it was the last home meet ever for the seven seniors. “It hit me that it was the last time I would be swimming in the Milford pools,” stated senior Shane Chwalek. “It was our last time and we needed to make it count.”

The boys were not disappointed by their efforts; Milford won the duel meet 112 to 74. This win was Milford’s first win within the KLAA Lakes Conference for the year.

After the win, emotions were high and everyone was celebrating. “I felt proud to be a part of the team over the years,” Chwalek stated. “When we won it was really incredible.”

During the meet, Milford placed first or second in every event, a very impressive feat.  Branceau, Simonich, Beslock, Diaz, and, Andrud all took first in at least one of their events. One of the most memorable of these was the 100-yard breast stroke. It was a close race between one of Pinckney’s swimmers and Brancheau. On the last leg of the race, the people in the stands were standing and cheering, it was intensely loud when the board declared that Brancheau was the winner by 0.02 seconds.

Another stand out performance was done by the Milford A relay team during the 400-yard freestyle relay, specifically Simonich. It had been a close race between Milford and Pinckney for the first two swimmers, but when Simonich dove into the water his slicing strokes quickly gained a large and growing lead for Milford, ending the meet on a high note.

However, first place is not exactly the main goal. In a sport like swimming the athletes are all on very different levels, but as senior Shane Chwalek said “swimming is all about self-improvement. You’re racing yourself in every race. The other team doesn’t matter as much as doing your best.”

The relatively new swim coach of two years, Coach Chris Smith has identified this need and accordingly addresses it. “He works with each and every one of us in the areas we need to improve,” stated Chwalek. “I have improved in every aspect of the sport and coach has really helped me to do that.”

Not only does this sport help its members become stronger physically, but also creates strong bonds between teammates. “On the team I’ve made life long friends, we are all really close,” Chwalek said.

After spending endless hours swimming before school and after the boys on the team are more like family. Before school the boys practice for an hour to an hour and a half, then after there is another mandatory practice for another two to three hours.

 “We are such close friends because we spend so much time together,” Simonich stated. “And because we are united with the common idea that we are all suffering together through the long practices.” The practices for the swim team are very physically demanding in addition to the large amount of time they take. In other words, joining the swim team is a big commitment.

However, the choice to join the team is one that few regret. “The best thing that ever happened to me was getting cut from basketball my freshman year,” stated Beslock, “Because it gave me the opportunity to be a part of this great team.”

Now that their season is almost over many are pondering what the team will look like next year after this year’s graduating class are gone. With no juniors on the team this year, the responsibility of captain for the next two years will be passed down to a sophomore. “The team next year will be filled with a bunch of rising swimmers who will improve more and more with experience,” Chwalek stated confident of his younger teammates’ abilities.

Sophomore diver Brian Simonich, brother of Brad Simonich stated “I will really miss all of the seniors next year, especially my brother. The team will be very different, and im not sure what to expect.”