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Norwalk's boys swimming team is still wet behind the ears, in a literal and figurative sense. Ravaged by graduation losses and with many newcomers on the squad, coach Doug Marchetti figures this year to be a rebuilding job.
The Bears, a co-op team with McMahon, fell to Darien on Wednesday, 97-76. The Blue Wave won every event to drop the Bears to 0-2.
"It's still early,'' Marchetti said. "We're a young team, and these meets are about our kids gaining meet experience. The thing I like about this team is that they have a positive attitude and they are working hard.
"Do we have a lot of work to do? Yes. Some swimmers don't know how to do flip turns yet. This is a tough league when you're competing against some of the best teams in Fairfield County."
John Ospina took second in the 50 free for Norwalk, and Chris Randazzo was second in diving.
Marchetti hopes the team will continue to improve, not only throughout this season but also in future years. Superintendent Susan Marks has put the swim program on the chopping block to help the district balance its budget. Marchetti says the swimmers have not let the threat hurt their attitude.
"They've stayed positive,'' he said. "They ask a lot of questions. You don't want to dwell on the negative. They know that it's a possibility. We have to come up with a plan of action to make it viable. The bottom line is we're faced with tough decisions. No one wants to be below that bar."
What do you think of the superintendent's decision to include the swimming and hockey teams as programs to be eliminated in a cost-cutting measure? Start the discussion below!
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