Category: Sports

by Bernie Anguiano ’24

What makes a great team? A question often asked by athletes, coaches, and other teams in the competition. Greatness can’t be easily achieved, it takes a lot of work, time and effort but the payoff is always positive. A great team will be able to differentiate themselves from the rest, a great team is disciplined and motivated to achieve great feats. 

But the definition of greatness doesn’t stop there. A lot of intricacies have to be surpassed, yet amongst all of this hard work and dedication, one thing will always stand out from the rest. A team that cares for each other and has a strong bond is almost impossible to defeat. Being connected to your teammates and knowing who they are can elevate the level of performance in almost any environment, and as students in sem we are fortunate to have a connected team. A team that has a very strong connection and has a great bond. The Wyoming Seminary girls basketball team shows this amazing and essential trait.

The experiences they have shared as a team has only brought them closer together, although they have failed like everyone else, the team still supports each other no matter what. They stick together and know the importance of having proper communication and a good relationship with their teammates. This has helped elevate their play to another level, everytime they make a pass they’re on point, everytime they make a play they know what to do and how to guide each other. This can only be achieved through the ups and downs the team faces everyday. The coach is a great example of passion and teamplay, Coach Kersey has shown passion, dedication and a lot of love and respect for the team. He has certainly helped the team grow and has helped them become closer together.

The importance of connecting with your teammates is a great priority in sports, team bonding is essential towards building a great team. So what makes a great team? A great team can be differentiated by a simple fact, a strong bond between teammates and the coach, a good time has gone through a lot of successes and failures but a great team will come out of those failures and successes closer and stronger. The basis for a great team is a strong bond, no matter the outcome, the girls basketball team will always have each other’s back and that makes them great.

Helena Prusak ’23

Sem swimming is enjoying a very successful season. In terms of overall records, the girls team was 9-1, and the boys team was 7-3. While both teams are extremely successful on paper, many of their strengths come from how bonded the team is. Claire Stretanski ‘23, one of the captains, says, “I think our biggest success is how supportive we are of each other. We are always cheering for each other during races, whether we are losing or winning. We acknowledge each other’s success no matter how small.”

The captains of the swim team are Claire Stretanski, Cara McCall ‘23, Ryleigh Collins ‘23, Zhantore Akyelbekov ‘24, and Harry Feng ‘24. They work together to foster a welcoming and supportive environment while also organizing team events.

Harry Feng ‘24 says, “My favorite part about being a captain is working with new and returning swimmers, and also improving and doing well at meets. Everyone who has joined the team this season has really improved since the beginning of the year. I’m really proud of them.”

A recent event hosted by the swim team was their senior night. This was an opportunity to recognize the seniors’ accomplishments and contributions to the team. Stretanski said, “[It] was very emotional, but we loved spending time together and enjoying our last moments as a team.”

One of the biggest events during the season was the Ernie Shartle Invitational in Tunkhannock. It was also an opportunity to beat a lot of personal times, and was one of the team’s biggest accomplishments.

Assistant Coach Julia Baur says, “Going into districts and even Shartle, everyone is right around their best times, or swimming even faster than they were around this time last year.” The team’s success can be accredited to their hard work and dedication.

The team’s connection certainly helps as well. Claire says, “Sem swimming has a unique bond because of the nature of our sport. The connections we form will last a lifetime.”

The swim team is currently preparing for districts and states. They still have a lot of time left in the season to beat personal times and break even more records. Make sure to continue supporting the swim team!