BYU Swimmers will be competing tomorrow against one of their toughest rivals — their own teammates.
The BYU swim and dive team will be hosting their annual blue and white meet, where the Cougars will battle it out in hopes of proving themselves and making this year’s traveling team.
Some of the new contenders will be determined freshmen and returned missionaries.
Head Coach John Brooks said although the meet is like a glorified practice, it’s all about team spirit.
“This is their first chance to race at BYU with a little bit of pressure, the coaches are watching,” Brooks said. “For me it’s interesting to see who rises to the challenge and who doesn’t.”
Last year was BYU’s first year in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and both the men’s and women’s teams secured the conference championships. Also, two of BYU’s swimmers, Andrew Rutherfurd and Rafael Alfaro competed in the London Olympics and seven other teammates competed in the Olympic trials.
The new team has held daily competitions this week among teammates with the capstone event being tomorrow’s blue and white meet.
“Every day they’ve been battling it out within our own team,” Brooks said. “We have some really good swimmers, so it’s fun to come watch some really good swimmers swim.”
Brooks said he has goals of eventually being a top 10 team, but first aims at getting a men’s and women’s team in the NCAA championship for this year.
Senior and captain Brady Wells helped the team clinch the conference title last year and was one of the Olympic trial swimmers. For Wells, the blue and white meet itself is just a practice, but it is a good indicator of the team’s potential.
“This whole week we’ve just been trash talking each other,” Wells said. “It’s just fun, but everyone wants to win.”
His favorite part of the meet is the competition and speed.
“To watch (my teammates) swim fast, I really like that,” Wells said. “I like to see the potential that everybody has and then I dream about the conference.”
Wells said the meet is also a good way for newcomers to become acquainted with the fast pace of college swimming.
“In college swimming you’re expected to swim fast at every dual meet every stinking time you get in the water,” Wells said. “It doesn’t matter who you’re racing or what kind of meet it is. It’s game time.”
The blue and white meet will be held at the Richards Building pool starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
