Girls swimming: Start it up

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - “Inexperience” is an overstatement when applied to

Estancia High’s girls swim team. Just how inexperienced were the Eagles

before the 2000 season?

“I had girls who didn’t know what a lap was,” Estancia Coach Michelle

Spanley said.

But like a ball of yeasty dough in a cool, damp place, the Eagles are

expanding at an alarming rate. First, there were only four returning

swimmers. Then, a surprising 16 girls showed up for tryouts. And with the

Pacific Coast League schedule about to start, Estancia now has 24 girls,

enough to split the group into varsity and junior varsity.

The three returning swimmers are junior Somer Flaherty, senior Katie

Wyman and the Cassity sisters, Lauren and Jennifer.

Needless to say, Estancia needs those four to rack up points, and they

have been fairly successful this year. Flaherty, a second-team PCL girls

water polo player, is the fastest freestyle swimmer on the Eagles. She is

also a co-captain as a junior, and is instrumental in teaching other

teammates.

Senior Lauren Cassity is the other co-captain and fills the same roles as

Flaherty This despite playing softball in the same season.

Wyman is another softball player/swimmer. She came close to qualifying

for CIF in track last year and will be counted on to swim the more

advanced strokes like the butterfly.

Lauren’s sister Jennifer is also athletic and versatile enough to compete

in the medley events.

The rest of the team is composed of newcomers. Lauren Collier, came with

water polo experience. Estancia has two freshmen, Stephanie Reid and

Sarah Elizabeth Anaruma (or “Sliz” for short), who have shown a lot of

promise, along with sophomore Diana Kopasek. Seniors Margaret Flour and

Elizabeth Razoalso joined the team.

Beyond that group, the rest of the Eagles were, well, inexperienced.

“They were past the beginner level,” Spanley said. “They didn’t even know

how to breathe. They’re breathing wasn’t right. But they showed a lot of

hard work, and they seem to have a natural gift for learning.”

They have advanced to the point where Estancia won two dual meets in the

preseason. Spanley raved about the work ethic of freshman Rubi Zargoza,

one novice who earned a spot on the varsity team.

“She’s never really been swimming before,” Spanley said, “but she’s been

improving a lot. All the kids have been really impressive so far.”

Roster

Sarah Elizabeth Anaruma Fr.

Jennifer Cassity Jr.

Lauren Cassity Sr.

Lauren Collier So.

Somer Flaherty Jr.

Margaret Flour Sr.

Diana Kopasek So.

Jennifer Patton So.

Elizabeth Razo Sr.

Stephanie Reid Fr.

Katie Wyman So.

Rubi Zargoza Fr.

Coach: Michelle Spanley