Lake Forest boys swim and dive coach Cindy Dell was running late to practice one December morning.
When she finally arrived at the high school around 6 a.m. (practice began at 5:45 a.m.), the Scouts were already in the pool.
“They had already set up stations. The seniors are dedicated,” Dell said. “The training environment is incredible because of how they’ve stepped up. It’s such a positive.”
Symen Ooms is one of those dedicated seniors.
A key piece of two of the Scouts’ state-qualifying relay teams (200-yard medley and 400 freestyle) in 2013-14, Ooms and seniors Daniel Smith and Michael LeMay are charged with activating daily workout plans.
Dell personalizes programs for each swimmer, depending on whether they swim sprints or distance races.
“We have no warning what we are going to do. It doesn’t allow you to go in [before] and say it’s going to be tough or easy,” Ooms said. “We go in with the same attitude to try our best.”
Lake Forest’s personalized practices are typically conducted five days a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 5:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 3:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. (unless there is a dual meet scheduled). Monday and Wednesday afternoons are reserved for dry-land training or for swimming extra yardage.
Ooms said he is stronger this year after a summer and fall of weight training. He emphasized his back, abdominal and leg muscles.
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“Swimming is a full-body sport. There is no area you need to focus on more than the other,” he said. “But I stress pull-ups and quadricep and calf training. You need those for quick kicks and quick walls.”
Thus far, Ooms and the Scouts are getting off blocks and pool walls in rapid fashion.
A season-opening win over Fremd on Dec. 6 saw sophomore Dylan Boyd win the 200 free (1 minute, 42 seconds) and junior Michael Hamilton win the 500 free (5:03). A member of the Scouts’ state-qualifying 400 free relay team as a freshman, Boyd is a budding superstar. Against Fremd, his time of 51.4 seconds in the 100 butterfly came close to setting the school record.
“This season he will break into the Illinois swimming scene if he hasn’t been noticed by now,” Dell said.
Dell expects Boyd to be part of one of the Scouts’ freestyle relay teams for the state series, along with Ooms, Smith and LeMay. LeMay is a 2013-14 state qualifier in the fly and is a potential qualifier this year in the 200 individual medley. Smith is a defending state medalist in the 100 backstroke.
The Scouts will continue to prime for February’s state series by building their fitness each day.
“I think the culture is the same as last year. We go in, get the blood flowing, and train really hard,” Ooms said.