As the new year approaches, the Malden High School swim team is making the most of the new swim season. As a returning member, sophomore Sebastian Romani has some experience under his belt, but continues seeing the new season as an opportunity to better himself.
Romani has been a swimmer his entire life and is quick to recognize the impact his childhood experience with swimming had on fueling his current passion for the sport. He is a dedicated competitive swimmer, and his drive most certainly reflects on his performance which, as his teammates explain, has improved from last season. Romani’s fellow teammate, sophomore Alyne Coninck, said that “he grew as a swimmer,” explaining further that “he’s in lane three now and he’s been put into new events”.
Romani knows that, although it hasn’t been long since the season began, he’s already improving. He feels that he has “definitely gotten better at the butterfly stroke. [He feels] like [he is] improving [himself] and that makes [him] really happy, and [he hopes] that makes [his] team happy as well.”
Sophomore and fellow teammate Jill Tramondozzi spoke for the team when she said how Romani’s contagious enthusiasm helps everyone since “he’s always super excited to come to swim everyday.”
Despite already making some gains, Romani still hopes to show progress everyday, but admitted that he and the team face challenges this year that will take extra effort to overcome. He stated that “besides losing a lot of people, [he feels] it’s a lot more of getting the new people used to how swim goes,” referencing how little time the team had to prepare for their first meet of the season.
In regards to his personal goals, Romani hopes to be put into more events and be able to prove himself to the coaches. He has learned to swim with a particular mindset that allows him to make progress, but on his own terms. He stated he doesn’t like to compare himself to others saying “there’s somebody that’s always gonna be faster than [him], but that just means [he] can always improve, [he] can always do better in [his] events, [he] can put more effort into practice.”
To him, his team is like a second family, and they push him to be a better swimmer. He describes how tight knit the team is and hopes that this year he can help new swimmers find their place on the team. He said that “[he] really [likes] meeting new people,” adding that “[he wants new swimmers] to feel comfortable, and [he wants] to be someone that they can look up to.” He wants to help them see in swim what draws him back to the sport each season. He said he wants to help others feel the same way he does when he sees “old faces and new faces get in the water and just become a part of the team”.
He hopes to close the season well while maintaining his love for the sport and team. “Being part of a team makes me so happy, I love it. I love this team.”
