Copying pages from a book could be considered copyright infringement, but the Clarkston Wolves boys swim team could use a couple chapters from their sister-team, the girls.
The girls swim team amassed a second consecutive 8-0 run in the Oakland Activities Association this season, and the boys are looking down the barrel of a 1-7 2005-?06 campaign.
Coach Kenwyn Chock is hoping the team’s junior members, which outnumber other grade levels on the Wolves, will be able to carry Clarkston to an improvement.
‘We were top-heavy in seniors last year’our seniors graduated, now the juniors need to step up,? Chock said.
Those five juniors are led by captains Greg Dedow and Sean Goebel.
‘Last year, they were more behind the scenes, the second swimmers. Now this year, they have to step up and be the number-one swimmers,? Chock said.
The Wolves? other captain, Matt Dise, is the team’s only returning senior swimmer.
Clarkston boasts three freshman in the diving corps in Patrick Furlo, Erik Shaw and Jordan Zendejas. That trio starts the season without any diving competition under their belts.
The boys got their first experience at a dual meet at Farmington Hills Harrison on Dec. 7, where Zendejas placed second.
‘They did a fantastic job at the meet,? Chock said.
The newness of it all actually helps the boys, Chock explained, because they did not seem preoccupied with any thoughts going into the diving.
‘They just get up and they do it,? she said.
Zendejas and Furlow will be splitting time both swimming and diving this year.
‘It takes a really good athlete to do that,? Chock said.
The double-time will put another relay team at Chock’s disposal.
‘That helps out the team a lot,? she said.
Although the Wolves have had only one meet this season, the team already has qualified one swimmer for the Oakland County meet in February.
Sophomore Robert Nelson swam 2:12.23 in the 20-yard individual medley and 1:09.66 in the 100-yard breaststroke, earning himself a spot in the meet.
Fellow sophomore Jake Rush only missed the county cut by eight-tenths of a second in the 100-yard backstroke, finished at 1:01.58.
The county meet is not the last stop for some of the kids this year.
‘A couple of kids are trying to make state cuts (this season),? Chock said.
‘When OAA’s come around, I’m sure they will be able to swim their personal bests because they’re training very hard,? Chock said.
‘These kids are going to improve every meet. They’re already together as a team.?
Chock is employing dry-land routines similar to those of the school’s wrestling team, she said, to get the team into shape.
‘I know they’re tired, but it’s going to pay off,? she said.
‘They feel the pain in dry land, in events, it’s not new to them.?
The Wolves get their next chance, swimming against Troy Athens at CHS, on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.