It’s cold enough to send a shiver down their spines or put goose bumps all over their bodies. But for these athletes, it makes no difference because where they are going their body will warm up quickly. That first sensation is beyond compare.
The Ventura College swimming and diving team has experienced these feelings on both ends of the spectrum.
“Today was warm, but a couple weeks ago our heater was broken,” said sophomore swimmer Brooke Penney. “Some days, the air is warmer than the water.”
No matter what the water temperature is, there is a feeling of confidence both in and out of the pool all throughout the team.
“I have really high expectations for us,” said Penney. “We have a slightly bigger boys team and a slightly smaller girls team, but we are putting in a lot of work already. I think we are going to shock everyone, and ourselves.”
Their leadership very much sets the attitude for the team. Coach Larry Baratte is in his 20th season with the Pirates, and believes that routine plays a big part in success.
“[Winning] does not just happen, it is planned and has a sequence of events leading up to it,” Baratte told his swimmers in a meeting before practice at the pool side. “You need to make your warm-up a superstition, like you do that warm-up so that you swim the fastest you can.”
The winning Pirate tradition was the message that Baratte was trying to send to his team at the beginning of the practice.
“I want to make sure that they all understand the expectations of the program over the last 10 years,” said Baratte. “We’ve been the number one program in the state in regards to where we have finished in the state championships and where we have finished in the scholar team award.
“I always want them to be mindful of that, and to continue that legacy.”
Baratte said that the community college level is a little bit different the university level because every year, half the team is starting new. With every new member you need to resend the message in order to avoid confusion.
“[I’m here for] fast swimming and good times,” said Deanna Pickman. “I’m a freshmen and I don’t really know what to expect.”
Baratte works hard to show his team how to strive for competitive greatness in the pool.
“The whole idea on this is to relish in the competition, to appreciate the competition and the racing,” said Baratte. “It’s great to have individuals that are challenging. You and win lose or draw, that race is what we are trying to make sure that we can appreciate.”
Baratte’s expectation for the season is nothing short of successful. He continued to say that his team’s goal is to win the state championship, and that that has been the team’s goal for the past 10 years.
The men’s team has not finished out of the top three since 1999 and the women’s has not finished out of the top six.
With that in mind, it is very easy to understand where the swimmers’ confidence comes from. Kyle Robertson is all the evidence needed to prove that.
“We’re going to win it all,” he said. “[Barrate] isn’t kidding, we’re stacked pretty deep. I don’t really think there is going to be anyone to give us any trouble up until state.”
(Randy Phenning)
