The swim team started practicing in August and is preparing for the district meet in January. While January is still a couple of months away, a lot has gone into making sure the swimmers are ready to give it their all.

Head coach Amy Estes started the swimming program when she was a freshman at Azle High School and has carried on her legacy since.

“I have ownership of this program,” Estes said. “It’s what I started. To go to college, come back, and take over the program, I’m really proud of that.”

The swimmers go to Decatur to swim because Azle doesn’t have a natatorium. Students are expected to be ready every morning to make the drive.

“We leave at 5:45 [a.m.] on the bus,” Estes said. “We go to Decatur and we swim Tuesday through Friday, and on Mondays, we are in the weight room.”

There are only four boys on the team this year which has put a strain on relay teams. Three out of the four boys are freshmen who sophomore Kaylee Willey had good things to say about.

“They’re doing really well,” Willey said. “They’ve had to learn really quickly but I think they’ve actually picked it up and ran with it pretty well.”

Estes said their season has been “so far, so good” and has goals for getting the swimmers to regionals.

“You can’t do anything without goals, right?” Estes said. “Or else you’re just wishing. The success of our program is how you swim from meet to meet and how many kids we can get out to regionals.”

Sophomore Ryleigh Cire said the team is “giving it their all, all of the time” to make sure they are ready for district which will take place Jan. 20.

“We’re working really hard, getting up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to show up to practice,” Cire said. “Everyone’s very dedicated and they’re giving their full effort to grow each day.”