After a strong end of season last year, the girl’s swim team has been training harder than ever to make the state cuts this year. The season started in August with Head Coach Scott Walker, who has been coaching swim for 28 years. 

“Last year we placed 26th [in state],” he said. “We had three relays and four individual events and ended up scoring, so that was a really big deal.”

In the IHSA State Finals competition, points are awarded to the top 12 finishers in every event. With 48-plus teams at state, even scoring a few points is difficult. LT scored 10 points. The common goal for this season is to get a state qualifier in every event. 

“[State] would be awesome,” he said. “And for us to find a way to get in the top 10, that would be great.”

The team practices in the mornings and afternoons on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, Walker said. Although the hours are long, the girls have tough competition for state this year and need to train as hard as possible.  

“I would say right now we are pretty balanced with a couple [events] we could focus on,” he said. “At the end of the day, fast is not going to be fast enough. We just have to find a way to be quicker in every event.”

The team consists of a wide range of swimmers, varying from freshmen to seniors. The team is also composed of three levels, Frosh/Soph, JV, and varsity, as well as a section for diving. In total, 71 girls are swimming for LT this year.  

“[The team] has a great mesh of personalities, work ethic, enthusiasm, and goal orientation,” he said. “They have all kinds of positive characteristics and when they come in here it’s where they’re supposed to feel the best.”

Compared to previous years, the team is seeing more underclassmen joining at the varsity level, Walker said. Lindsay Forebaugh ‘26 is a freshman on varsity this year. At the KP Invite at Hinsdale Central on Aug. 29, she came in 10th overall, the highest ranking swimmer for LT at the meet. 

“We have a really good sense of community on the team,” Forebaugh said. “Being a freshman on varsity is unique because I’m swimming with a lot of girls that I look up to, and they have all been amazing role models. They have all been extremely supportive and welcoming, and I would not have been able to get through without them.”

The team captains, Maggie Adler ‘23, Ava Wright ‘23, and Becky Phillips ‘23, have all been identified as great leaders this year for the entire team, as well as the entire senior class, Walker said. The swimmers refer to the pool as “The Sanctuary,” an outlet to release stress and bond with teammates.

“It’s like a safe place,” Phillips said. “It helps us get away from everything else, like an escape. I like how everyone gets really close every season, and everyone’s just teammates and best friends so you’ll always have someone to talk to at practices.”

The girls still have a few months left in the season, and more time to grow individually and as a team. The season will end in November with the IHSA state finals, taking place on Nov. 11-12. The girls are swimming next on Sept. 29 at home against York.