With the state championships just around the corner, the swim team has trained through spring break and has gotten a chance to evaluate its strokes at the Pasadena Invitational on April 11 and 12.

The SCC diving championships were April 18 to 19 in which diver David Austin qualified for the state championships and is the champion for the South Coast Conference.

The best men’s performances at the invitational, which have also been the best all season included: Mike Gavola, 50-yard freestyle, 24.53; Shon Page, 100-yard backstroke, 1:03.09, and Denis Katarygin, 100-yard breaststroke, 1:04.03.

“Our team’s placing was probably not that high,” coach Corey Stanbury said. “But the way I approached this meet is we don’t bother to swim any relays, which are usually double points, because we’re spending a lot more time focusing on our individual events.”

To qualify for the state championships at Saddleback, swimmers will have to finish in the top 16 of their events at the conference champions April 24-26 at Pasadena.

“I think this week is going to be spectacular and I’m really excited for it,” Gavola, freestyle swimmer, said. “We get our swim suits, we are going to shave down; all season this is what we’ve worked for.”

The swim team has been on a rigorous training schedule throughout the whole season, practicing two times a day.

However, practices were recently lowered to one a day to allow the team to fully recover for the upcoming meets.

“We cut our morning practice, except for a few people who are tapering for state instead of the conference,” Gavola said. “The afternoon practice is a little easier, but not much.”

Resting the swimmers gives them time to recuperate and perform at their peak for the conference championships.

Some of the swimmers are waiting to taper for the state championships because they believe that they have very good chances of qualifying.

Also, all the swimmers begin to rest at different times and for different lengths of time in order to suit their swimming style.

The swimmers shave themselves down and wear special swim suits when competing in meets toward the end of the season.

“Shaving down is mostly for psyching yourself up,” Gavola said.