The Eagles competed in the annual Michigan Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (MISCA)  swim meet this past weekend, taking twenty-fourth out of the eighty-three teams from across the state. Swimmers Nora Van Eerdan, Lydia Oosterbaan, Grace Van De Burg, Kayla Bolhuis, and Emily Feenstra each competed in individual events, while swimmers Brooke Henry, Emma Dale, Alyse Lanega, and Tarin Zank competed on the relay teams. The MISCA meet showed the effort from the Eagles throughout the season so far. “Our team has put in a lot of hard work throughout the course of the season and we are encouraged with the work the girls are doing in the weight room, the pool, and with their schoolwork,” said Coach Ian Kobes.

The meet began with the 200-yard medley relay, opening with an exciting start and personal best for the team. The A relay consisted of Grace Van De Burg, Nora Van Eerdan, Emma Dale, and Lydia Oosterbaan swimming backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle respectively. The Eagles placed thirty-fourth overall. In the 200 freestyle, Van Eerdan swam a 2:04, scoring forty-ninth overall in the event. Oosterbaan achieved a personal best of 25.8 seconds in the 50 freestyle.

Through the second half, the Eagles continued to score and achieve personal bests. Van Eerdan dropped about one and a half seconds in the 100 freestyle. The 500 freestyle was a successful event, particularly for Bolhuis and Van De Burg. Grace Van De Burg dropped nearly ten seconds on her second time ever swimming in the event. “After swimming my 500 freestyle I felt very surprised and pleased with my time. I'm looking forward to seeing how the conference meet is going to look this year,” said Van De Burg.

The A 200 freestyle relay team, consisting of Nora Van Eerdan, Emily Feenstra, Lydia Oosterbaan, and Brooke Henry, took 17th overall with a time of 1:43. Van De Burg competed one more time in the 100 backstroke event before the meet concluded with the 400 freestyle relay. 

These many drops in times excite the swimmers as they head into the fast-approaching conference and state competition meets. Coach Kobes hopes to see even more hard work and determination from the girls before the season ends, “Pushing each day to get better in all that we do has to be a center stone of the time we have left in the season. We have to continue to encourage our teammates to hold each other accountable to the high standards the team has set forth for the season,” said Kobes. With only two more meets before tapering (the process of recovering from the season to swim the fastest possible times) begins, the Eagles are hoping for even more drops in time and possibly even a few state-qualifying ones. Nora Van Eerdan  looks forward to the state championship, “I would really like to get a state cut. I am pretty close in the 50 free, 100 free, and the 200 free,” said Van Eerdan  

“I felt very happy about MISCA this weekend. I thought it was great to be surrounded by some of my closest friends and I think that the support we have for each other is an amazing thing,” said Van De Burg. The MISCA meet showed just a sliver of the talent the Eagles swim team has to offer. With the help of taper and even more effort from the girls, the upcoming conference meet could prove to be a very successful time for these girls.