Water Warriors: boys are ready

WESTFALL - They are quick to smile and even quicker to laugh, but Jeff White, Rob Navarro, Rusty Cook and Mike Daggett take their position as captains of the Delaware Valley high school boys swim team very seriously. “You have a lot of people looking up to you. You are trying to set good goals for them,” Navarro said. “You try to make the season a good one for them.” “As a senior this is our last year to show them what we have,” White said. “There are a lot of freshman coming up that need us to lead them to a great season.” “As a senior we have top show them what to do and try to do it right,” Cook said. “They look up to you, so you have to be a leader.” According to Daggett, being a captain is more than just setting decent example for his teammates. “As a senior, the most important thing is to get everyone involved.” And for his part, Daggett believes that means support in and out of the pool. “Part of being a team is being there for everyone and not letting anyone down,” the senior said. “We are only as strong as our weakest link.” Fortunately for the Warriors, their captains have plenty of varsity experience under their speedos. “I have been a varsity swimmer for the past three years,” White said. “This will be my fourth year.” In fact, all of the captains have multiple varsity seasons to their credit. After a successful season last year, the captains know they will have targets on their back throughout the season. Despite the tall odds, none of the seniors are daunted. “Our expectations are high,” Navarro said. “It seems like we are going to have a great year.” White has a specific season focus on his mind. “Our team looks pretty strong,” the captain said. “I would like to see what we do at districts.” The thought of districts still burns bright in Cook’s mind. “Last year at districts we lost by 1.5 points,” he said. “So we are looking forward to winning districts this year.” But it is Daggett who sums up his teams positive outlook best. “The team is psyched and we are looking to have a good season this year.” Russ Crespolini is the Online Editor for Straus Newspapers and can be reached at 845-782-4000 ext. 352 or at webmaster@strausnews.com .