Agatha Silva, sophomore at Malden High School, is in her second year swimming for the school after starting as a freshman. As a child she swam for the Malden Crocs at the YMCA with her older brother and coming to the high school has helped her recognize her love for swim and has decided to pursue swim during her high school career. Silva, as of now, swims in lane 4 after swimming in lane 5 last year as a Freshman.
Her favorite events include the “50 free because it is much easier than other events,” as well as the “200 relay because she can swim with friends,” she said.
Overall, her favorite memory took place last year when one her senior friends made it into sectionals and states and everyone on the team was rooting and cheering for him on both sides of the pool.
However, Silva does admit to being nervous at swim events, but her friends calm her down and once “she steps on the block [she] just focuses on what she needs to do, and as soon as the buzzer hits she jumps in and swims [her] heart out,” Silva stated.
As she has known many on the team since a young age, the team has great bonding time and great memories happen often as they are much like a family without the drama. She hopes that newcomers bring good swim times, just be themselves, have fun with everyone, and just put everything they have in swimming.
Her advice for newcomers is that “swim is really hard, and there may be moments in which you want to quit, but don’t give up because at the end of the season you see how much work you actually put into swim and the commitment you have for team.” She advises that newcomers swim with friends that help you swim to your potential and not quit.
Overall, she hopes to make her strokes better and be a better swimmer than she was last year and keep improving throughout her high school career. Agatha says that the swim team has been “number 1 in the GBL for about six or seven years in a row,” and that the team is “going into a new league next year where [they] actually have competitors that may pose a threat”.
Outside of swimming, Silva is a part of the NHS and enjoys playing soccer in the summer and outside of school during the spring. Silva feels that swim “is very relaxing” and is very excited for the year to come.
