After finishing the regular season with a 7-0 league record, Andover Boys Swimming is now setting its sights on the New England Preparatory School Athletic Conference (Nepsac) Championships in two weeks.
Co-Captain Darren Ty ’16, a four-year varsity swimmer, has guided Andover to its undefeated league record this season and will be crucial to Andover’s success at the Nepsac Championships.
In the pool, Ty stands out for his versatility and his ability to compete in multiple events with skill. He excels at a variety of strokes, regularly securing first place finishes for Andover in Butterfly, Backstroke, Medley and Freestyle events. Earlier this season, Ty broke the school and pool records for the 200-Yard Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:25.30 alongside Co-Captain Marcello Rossi ’16, Christian Alberga ’17 and Nick Isenhower ’18, earning him All-American Consideration.
Despite his individual achievements in his time at Andover, Ty stresses the importance of seeing swimming as a team sport, a mindset he constantly tries to instill in his fellow swimmers.
Ty said, “For swimming it’s not just about each individual meet. As captains, Marcello and I try to get each person to understand that and to push themselves harder at practice. We try to remind everyone this is a team sport – we do everything together.”
In particular, Ty’s outstanding work rate during practices and meets drives his teammates to always try their hardest.
Rossi said, “Darren is great to work with because he shares the same work ethic as I do. Together we are effective at motivating the team to keep pushing harder in practice, and swim faster in meets.”
Ty said, “Swimming is a mentally and physically draining sport and being there for each other is a huge part of it. I love the sport, especially having the privilege along with Marcello to help lead our team. I feel it’s important that the guys have people to look up to for example.”
Ty takes his responsibility as a team member seriously and does not hesitate to make sacrifices for his fellow swimmers. Alberga recalled the team’s swim meet at Hopkins two weeks ago.
“I had swum a best time in the 50-Free earlier and I really wanted to go for a [best] time in the 100-Free but I was swimming the 100-Fly instead,” Alberga said. “Darren offered to give me his spot in the Free, giving up his only opportunity to swim it all season. I ended going a best time in the 100-Free. I am appreciative of him sacrificing his position for me and I feel like that is one of the most selfless things that anyone has ever done for me.”
Ty looks to lead Andover to its sixth Nepsac Championship in ten years at Deerfield in two weeks.
