Catie Martin

When did you first begin playing this sport?

My freshman year of high school.

Do you want to continue this sport in college?

No.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career? Why?

A prominent coach in my high school swim and dive career has been my dive coach, Chris Brady. Not only does Brady know a lot of information about the sport itself that continues to help me improve every day; he also gives life advice that I know will be useful as I graduate and enter college. Brady always has a positive attitude and pushes every one of my teammates to our goals.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in?

I also am the captain of the girls varsity hockey team and the Sports Editor of The Rebellion. 

How do you feel going into this season?

Going into this season, our team has gained many freshmen who will help us during meets. We are going to continue to push each other especially in all of the individual swimming and diving events, in order to get as many people qualified for the sectional and state tournament meets at the end of the season.

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals?

Some goals we have set is to get as many swimmers and divers qualified for the postseason sectional and state meets. Looking closer, we are going to push each other during practice to meet our personal goals of making faster swim times, and getting higher scores on certain dives, each meet. 

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why?

We always face large opponents who always have the fast swimmer and high-scoring diver combination, like Framingham and Wellesley. Last season we lost to both teams but continue to get closer and closer each year to a victory. 

Matt Samargedlis

When did you first begin playing this sport? 

Seventh grade.

Do you want to continue this sport in college? 

Yes.

If yes, are you committed for this sport? To what school?

Not yet.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career? Why? 

Cheryl, she’s the only coach I’ve ever had.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in? 

Rec basketball.

How do you feel going into this season? 

I feel very good going into this season.

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals? 

Get better times and become closer to the sectional and state tournaments.

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why? 

Braintree, one of the swim team coaches is now a coach for them.

Brigham Byerly

When did you first begin playing this sport? 

I first started swimming competitively when I was eight years old.

Do you want to continue this sport in college? 

No.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career? Why? 

Cheryl Cavanaugh, literally the only coach in my sports career. The most impressive characteristic of Cheryl is her dedication and commitment to the sport. While competitive, she never lets winning or losing guide the way she treats her swimmers or the other team. On another note, she is iconic because her daughter, who is a sophomore in college, keeps her young. 

What other activities/clubs are you involved in? 

I participate in Green Team, Robotics, and NHS.

How do you feel going into this season? 

As captains, we all feel pretty confident about our team going into this season. We had projected ourselves to lose our first meet by a lot, but we actually came through and won the meet against Notre Dame of Hingham. All of the new freshman swimmers have done an impressive job of proving themselves and coming through to score crucial points during our last meet. In addition, we have a number of competitive divers who never fail to disappoint. In the first meet of the season, we already had every event for the sectional meet filled up by at least one guy who met the qualifying time, in addition to a handful of states qualifications and impressive performance with the relays.

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals? 

Uhhhh, a goal? No, I’m quite sure we don’t have any of those. Probably just getting as many swimmers to qualify for sectionals and states as possible. Almost every individual swimmer (I’d imagine divers as well) have goals set as far as improving their own times in various events, but I can’t quite speak to any goals the team has as a whole.

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why? 

Cheryl’s equally iconic sidekick, Kristen O’Leary, is working as an assistant coach for the Braintree swim team. Naturally, we are compelled to beat her and her team and we plan on doing just that.

Matt Ferraro

When did you first begin playing this sport? 

I started swimming at the age of three and have been swimming ever since.

Do you want to continue this sport in college? 

I am interested in continuing this sport in college.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career? Why? 

Cheryl Cavanaugh has been a prominent coach because she looks out for the welfare of all of her swimmers, and provides a bond that motivates swimmers to try their best. She has been my coach for 15 years, and has taught me everything I know from technique to speed tips. Without Cheryl, no one in town would know how to swim, and I would not have been able to participate in a sport I love.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in? 

I am involved in Student Council, Green Team, National Honor Society and Community Service Club.

How do you feel going into this season? 

I feel confident that my teammates have created a strong family-like bond that will propel our team forward and help keep up the positivity, which will help our team win meets.

Jillian Mathews

When did you first begin playing this sport? 

Second grade.

Do you want to continue this sport in college? 

Possibly, but just for fun.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career? Why? 

Cheryl, because she’s been my only coach and has taught me to swim from the beginning.

What other activities/clubs are you involved in? 

Band, marching band.

How do you feel going into this season? 

I am a bit out of shape after missing most of my summer practices, but I feel ready to practice hard.

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals? 

To send more people to states and sectionals, to have the boys win at states and sectionals. We are encouraging teammates to practice hard and stay healthy. Another goal is to build strong community that connects underclassmen to upperclassmen because, in many sports and other school activities, the younger and older students are divided.

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why? 

Braintree, because Coach Cheryl has coached Braintree and we are at a similar competitive level.

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals? 

Some of the goals for the upcoming season are to break previous WHS swimming and diving records, qualify more individuals for the Sectionals and State meet, and finish off the season with a strong, family-like bond.

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why? 

I think that Braintree is a huge rival this year because their team has a large number of boys, just like our own team. As both teams will face off their best boys and girls heats, it will be interesting to see how the Walpole boys will hold their title as the Conference, Sectional, and State 2018 Champions.

Emily Duseau

When did you first begin playing this sport? 

I began swim in fifth grade and diving in ninth. 

Do you want to continue this sport in college?

I don’t know yet.

Who was a prominent coach in your sports career and why?

My coach, Cheryl, is a very important coach in my sports career. When I joined swim, a lot of the people on the team already knew the strokes, but I was joining without much prior knowledge. Cheryl is very adamant about the fact that anyone can be on the team and learn to swim, which was a major factor in me not quitting the team, even though I felt like I was a lot worse than everyone else. Now as a captain, Cheryl has inspired me to do the same for others that are new. 

What other activities/ clubs are you involved in?

I am in the WHS Dance Company, tennis team, French Club, DOVE, and Feminism Club.

How do you feel going into this season?

I am very excited about my senior year, and I feel like the other captains and I can help the team become closer and stronger through more team bonding and activities. I am looking forward to finishing four years of diving, and I hope to improve along with the other seniors. 

What are some goals set for the team this coming season?/How do you plan to achieve these goals? 

Our team set our own personal goals, but we also set a team goal to motivate each other more. Even though swimming is an individual sport, the team’s motivation could not be more important for everyone to succeed and improve. The captains and I plan to achieve this by providing support and making sure that everyone is cheering everyone else on.

Who are some big opponents/rivals? Why? 

Braintree is a rival this year because one of the graduated swimmers on our team is the coach.