Doherty girls’ swim & dive focused on culture in pandemic-shortened season

The girls’ swimming and diving season has been drastically altered by the effects of the pandemic. And with a limited pool of qualifiers available for the Class 5A state championships, the Doherty girls’ swim and dive team is focusing on program goals beyond making it to the postseason.

Coach Murphy Barry said her 2021 squad has the best outlook the program has had in the last 10 years, thanks in part to senior leadership that has helped solidify the culture in the Doherty pool.

“We have a lot of energy and enthusiasm to be better and to get better and we have a good group that can train together and succeed,” Barry said.

With the guidelines laid out by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, the 2021 state championships will only feature the top 20 athletes per event in each classification. Previously swimmers had to hit a state-qualifying time, which meant that in some cases nearly 60 athletes could qualify and compete in the state meet in a single event.

With the new restrictions Barry understands it will be exponentially more difficult for her athletes to qualify for the tournament as a small 5A school in a competitive classification.

“But at least we have the opportunity to try and get going,” Barry said. “I think in the world of COVID the most important thing to stress to them is to keep going, take care of themselves and make the right choices for their teammates and themselves. We are going to keep pushing each meet.”

The Spartans will see a boost from junior Ana Rojas, who as a freshman brought home two fifth-place medals from the 5A state meet. Rojas took her sophomore high school season off to focus on rehab from shoulder surgery. Barry said Rojas’ underwater dolphin kicks, which were good as a freshman, have only gotten better through her rehab, and expects her to have the opportunity to qualify for state in almost any event she chooses. As a freshman Rojas placed fifth in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke and has recently been focusing on the butterfly.

“I think the biggest change is you can tell she really missed this team and she really missed being here,” Barry said. “She would come to our meets last year and there was never any question that she was going to come back and be here to support the team.”

Senior Ella Adler and sophomore Ally Gregory competed in the 2020 5A state championships with the 200 medley relay. With the addition of Rojas and freshman Audrey Vannelli, Barry said the relay team hopes to snap a 11-year school record in the 200 medley.

The 200 medley relay was the only qualifier from Doherty in 2020, though Gregory was seconds from hitting the qualifying mark in the 100 butterfly, and said it is her goal to qualify this year, despite the restricted field.

“Last year I really had no expectations, being a freshman,” Gregory said. “But this year starting off as a sophomore it’s been really great, especially in preseason when you’re in the fastest lane and you see some of the new girls look up to you.”

Doherty’s swim team usually features fewer than 30 athletes, but an influx of freshmen with club experience puts the team at around 34 athletes.

“For me it’s always about the culture that we can breed,” Barry said. “We are going to hit some success points this year just like we did in years past, but to have that culture where kids want to come and learn and grow and find success, that’s what we strive for, and that’s what I think drive our numbers.”