Jefferson Swimmers: We're Like a Family

Jefferson's first-year swimming coach, Anne Quintevella, looks at her athletes as more than a team. She looks at them as if they are family because that's how they view each other.

"They have pasta parties every week. The girls have sleep-overs.  They are a fun group of kids and are always looking out for each other. The club swimmers are real role models, helping the other swimmers get through practices, always encouraging their teammates," Quintevella said.

Junior Jake Mola is on board with the family feel of the squad.

"The best thing about this team is that we are like a family. We talk to each other like we have known each other our whole lives. If one of the older, more experienced swimmers sees someone new to the sport struggling, they talk to them and share advice, show correct technique, and comfort them by saying something like 'you will do fine when it all comes down to it' or 'everyone gets stuck sometimes, just keep trying and you will get it,'" Mola said.

"The best thing about my team is how close we get during the season. The meets, bus rides, pasta parties, Paparoni's and all-day-long invitationals bring us together," said Louis Pessolano, a senior who holds school records in butterfly, back stroke and breast stroke.   

At the start of the season, Quintavella asked the swimmers to write down their goals for the season. She said that if the members beat their own personal goals, improve their times and have fun along the way, then the season will be a success.

Alex Rodgers, a junior who swims in the distance races, thinks that even though the boys team lost a lot of good seniors to graduation but gained no new swimmers this year, his teammates are eager to fill spots that were lost.

"The main goal for this year is to be successful. However, we also want to have fun along the way," said junior distance swimmer Maria Galfo. "With help from our two dedicated coaches, I know this will be a great year.  The swim team works extremely hard at each practice and we are a committed team."

She continued: "At a swim meet everyone is cheering each other on and doing the best they can for their own benefit and for the team. The one important thing is we do not let anything bring us down. We have a positive outlook towards each meet and look forward to swimming." 

Both the boys and girls are 2-2 on the season to date. The boys have won over Kittatinny and Sparta, while suffering losses to Hackensack and Morris Knolls. The girls have defeated Hackensack and Sparta, while losing to Kittatinny and Morris Knolls.

Both teams are in next versus LV Tech on Jan 4.