Girls Swimming & Diving fell to Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter) in their annual Andover/Exeter (A/E) meet last Saturday. Despite the loss, the team swam strong races, with both Varsity and Junior Varsity (JV) competing together in a supportive atmosphere. Athletes emphasized the team’s growth and camaraderie, which has continued to progress throughout the season.
For this meet, Varsity and JV’s combined effort created an energetic environment on the pool deck. Nishi Amin ’28 reflected on how this helped boost morale.
“Considering the fact that we were all together was really nice because usually we have JV meets and then Varsity meets—they’re separate—but this time it was [both teams together]. So it was nice being with the whole team. Also, having both the Varsity and JV teams at the meet helped to bring up the mood and encourage the swimmers,” said Amin.
Competing at Exeter presented additional challenges, as swimmers had to adjust to an unfamiliar pool environment. Djenabou Bah ’28 noted that warming up before races helped ease nerves and allowed her to focus on her performance.
“In the actual event, it was kind of nerve-wracking. I wasn’t used to the different dynamics of the pool, because every pool has different [diving blocks], diving boards, and everything like that. But after warming up, I got more comfortable with it, so I could focus on the swim,” said Bah.
Similarly, Camden Schopler ’27 spoke on how, despite the fact that Exeter’s pool wasn’t in the best condition, spirits remained high.
“It was fun. I didn’t really like Exeter’s pool. It kind of downgraded—they had hair on the floor. But the spirit was there, everybody was up and cheering for one another. We all were cheering for the boys team. The boys team, I don’t know if they were cheering for the girls, but the girls were cheering for everybody,” said Schopler.
The team has been focusing on fine-tuning technical skills, including relay exchanges and pacing strategies. Bah highlighted how the team has developed a better understanding of each other, which has contributed to more effective relay transitions.
“We have been swimming a bunch of sets [as practice]. We practice relay dives, which I wasn’t even familiar with before I came here, which really helps. We also practice getting to know a connection with each other better. For example, for the [Individual Medley (IM)] relays, we would know, ‘Oh, this [is this] person’s specialty, so we should go for this lineup,’ or ‘This person needs to go for another stroke,’” said Bah.
According to Bah, in individual events, record holder Ariana Zhao ’25 stood out with a first-place finish in the 200-Yard IM.
“Ariana, a senior on our team, did 200-Yard IM. She’s currently our record holder in our pool here, but she did really well. She got first place in it. It was an amazing swim to watch,” said Bah.
Bah emphasized how swimmers rely on each other for motivation during races and practices. She spoke on how the presence of a teammate in an adjacent lane can push her to go faster.
“While we’re swimming, we also kind of depend on each other just to push ourselves to go faster. When I have someone swimming right next to me, I will [think], ‘Let me try to keep up with this person.’ It just helps to have people swimming with you so you feel more motivated to do sets,” said Bah.
The A/E meet also marked an emotional moment for the team’s seniors, who participated in their final swims—a long-standing tradition celebrating their contributions to the program. For Bah, witnessing this tradition for the first time was bittersweet and inspiring.
“My favorite moment was probably when the seniors got up to do their final swim. It’s a tradition for Andover seniors and Exeter seniors to go up and say their accomplishments and what they’ve done for the past four years. It was really fun, and it was kind of heartwarming and sad to see that, to know that there are hard-working and selfless swimmers here,” said Bah.
The team also valued the meet as an opportunity to connect with swimmers from other schools, strengthening the sense of community within the sport. Bah reflected on how these interactions contributed to the team’s culture.
“It helped build our culture because we got to meet different people also in other grades, and we got to meet different schools. I also met other kids from different schools. I text them now. It’s just meeting more people, it’s fun,” said Bah.
Girls Swimming & Diving will compete at New England Prep School Swimming & Diving (NEPSSDA) on March 8.
