The El Paso High School swim team demonstrated remarkable performances throughout the 2024-25 season, and for the 13th consecutive year won the 1-5A district championship.
“The girls haven’t lost anything this year. I would say that our strongest performance was by far, one of the EPISD invitationals that we had, we swept it, we won every single event,” Sarah Wallen, a senior team captain on the girls’ swim team said.
The team has also had standout performances in relays. Sarah highlighted the 200-medley relay.
“Each person swims a different stroke and I really think it’s our strongest event this year,” Sarah said.
The season wasn’t without its difficulties. Wallen faced a long recovery from an ACL injury she suffered after last season and was at risk of missing her senior year of competition.
“This was kind of just like a comeback season for me. I’m also very proud of getting cleared to swim and fully recover and able to still commit to swim in college,” Sarah said.
Fellow senior, Jordan Scott mentioned that adjusting to a new coach was a challenge for the team.
“We had the same coach for three years, so we had to adapt to a new way of doing things. But it brought in new expectations and culture, which helped us grow,” Jordan said.
Freshman Penelope Reese shared how the team became closer over the season.
“We had a lot of get togethers at the end of every meet to talk about how we felt about our races and everything. My favorite memory of the season was when we did skits at the pool, like recreating Titanic and Moana,” Penelope said.
Coach, Oscar Alvarado, in his first year leading the team, was impressed by the team’s improvement.
“I think personally, I see a lot of drive now. I see a lot of kids with ambition and goals. They’re more disciplined and that’s what I’m very proud of,” Alvarado said.
As the team prepares for state, swimmers like Penelope are setting big goals.
“I’m hoping that the strongest meet at state because that’s when we want to achieve the best that we can as a team,” Penelope said.
Sarah Wallen and others hope their relay teams can medal at the state championships, with the 200- medley being a top contender. Coach Alvarado is also confident about their chances.
“This is just the start. The team has worked hard all season, and I know they’re ready to perform under pressure,” Alvarado said.
The Tigers are eager to prove themselves at regional competition and beyond.
“We’ve bonded so much this season, spending so much time together. We’ve all just come together as a team and hard work pays off,” Sarah said.