The pool water felt like ice as the team dove in for their 6 a.m. practice. Junior swim captain Claire Morrison led the team during the early morning session just like she always does. Despite the early hour and the biting cold, Claire’s encouragement kept the team motivated.

Morrison’s dedication to the swim team has coaches and swimmers talking about how she has boosted morale and fostered a strong team culture in and out of the pool.

Morrison said she developed her passion for swim early on in sixth grade and has been committed ever since.

“When I found out the school had a swim team, I was super excited and joined my freshman year,” Morrison said. “And I’ve been on the swim team ever since.”

She said balancing the demands of school and swimming requires a lot of time management. She’s developed this skill over the years by managing her time, blocking out time for homework and practices and keeping a firm calendar of meets.

Swim coach Tori Whitehead said she recognized her leadership potential early on.

“She has a strong presence,” Whitehead said.

Morrison said as a team captain, she takes her responsibilities seriously by always striving to keep the team motivated and cohesive.

“Boosting team morale and promoting culture and friendships among our swimmers is key,” Morrison said.

Morrison said one of her most memorable experiences as a captain was during the Tesco trip, a travel swim meet in Texarkana where the team did swimming prelims and finals. The trip was an opportunity for the team to bond and create lasting memories.

“It’s such a fun trip because it’s our one travel meet and we get to spend time and bond with our teammates and have fun in addition to swimming,” Morrison said.

Morrison said preparing for big events like the Tesco trip involves meticulous planning and sticking to a routine to ensure peak performance. Some fun things that she does before her races is a good warm-up, and sometimes they’ll go out to have big carb-filled dinners the night before.

“Each person kind of has their own routine that they follow on,” Morrison said. “Just to help you get in the zone.”

Morrison said these pre-event dinners play a significant role in building team culture, fostering camaraderie among the swimmers and getting to know each other.

Morrison said being a captain isn’t without its challenges. Maintaining high spirits, especially during early morning practices, can be tough.

“You get tired, but just making sure that everyone knows why they swim and why [they] are there on the team really helps,” Morrison said.

Morrison said her approach to leadership is centered on building personal connections with her teammates, both in and out of the pool.

“Not just knowing them as swimmers but knowing them as humans,” Morrison said. “Just building those friendships really helps to connect with everybody.”

Junior co-captain Abigail Leblanc said Morrison is a great influence on the team.

“She has a lot more patience, and I love working with her,” Leblanc said.

Morrison said reflecting on her journey, she emphasizes how swimming has had a profound impact on her life and provided her with a strong support system and lasting friendships.

“Swimming has really shaped my life by giving me a group of friends and a team that really does care about me and wants to see me succeed,” Morrison said.