Dominic Hernandez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mountain Pointe for AZPreps365.com

During times of hardship, the loud sounds of splashing can be heard in the pools of the Mountain Pointe swim team as they continue to push to make themselves the best competitors possible. The players move back and forth across the pool as they push their way to better times. The sounds of coach Greg Mahon’s screams can be heard throughout the pool, telling the players what to do.

The talking of the players lessens as they continue to stay focused on the task of getting the best times that they can. Anticipation builds as each athlete prepares before the loud whistle echos through the pool for them to start. 

For them in that moment, nothing else matters as all worries go from their mind and are replaced with determination to get the job done. 

This year has been challenging for the Mountain Pointe swim team to say the least in being able to properly practice for the sport they love so much. Like everyone around the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has added problems in things they took for granted, like being able to even go to school. 

The Tempe Union High School district has implemented strict health guidelines and protocols on how to keep the students healthy and safe. Mountain Pointe follows these protocols to the letter when the safety of the students is involved.

“Doing daily health checks with nine questions to answer, temperature checks that they do that are done by head trainers or coaches, and remaining physically distant whenever possible,” said Mountain Pointe athletic director Aaron Frana, describing the daily procedures that must be met when training or competing.

“For example, (during) swim you have to wear a mask at all times unless you are in the pool and coaches are wearing theirs no matter what,” said Frana, contemplating the many health protocols in effect for certain sports. 

Having to deal with these new guidelines has taken a toll on everyone on the team including senior Logan Clayton, the team captain. Being the leader of the team has added immense pressure on him having to keep his fellow athletes united through these hard times. 

Logan in particular has had an outstanding season, placing in the top three in all the races he competed in the team's second meet of the year at McClintock on Oct. 29. This was a huge deal in particular because up until that point, the team had not been able to compete in any meets held.

The Mountain Pointe swim team competed in a playoff meet on Thursday, November 5. They did struggle in scoring points because not competing in as many events as some other schools which resulted in a point total of 56.

The team does acknowledge that the pandemic is something that they can’t forget and shouldn’t be taken lightly in any way. They have had to adjust the way they compete and how they can still remain competitive among the top teams in the division.

“We didn’t compete in any meets and we stayed in our own pool and competed against each other and turned in our times,” Frana said. 

The athletes were somewhat thrown off by this new way of having to compete against their own teammates. They found it interesting having to try and get the same push that they have competing against players from other schools which finally came to be true with them competing in their most recent meets. The safety of the Mountain Pointe community is of the utmost importance for the school and the students who attend it. 

“We as a school decided to have classes be fully online,” Frana said. 

In looking to the future, the team hopes that this pandemic will come to an end soon and they can resume their normal routine of competing. There have been benefits from this current situation in that it allows them to develop better communication skills and sharpen their fine motor skills. The future may look bleak now, but the team believes with the right mindset they will be able to endure until the bright future that they envision will come true as they know it will someday.