For as long as it has been around, the SMCHS swim team has ended its season after the CIF Southern Section Division I Championship. However, the 2015 season is unlike any other. In fact, it is historic.

Last October, CIF approved a State Championship swim and dive meet for this season. The meet will take place in Clovis on May 22-23, one week after the last section championship. Unlike the CIF Southern Section Masters meet that ran from 2006-2011, the best swimmers and divers from all 10 sections will come together and race to determine a true state champion of swimming and diving. There will be individual and team scoring for the swimmer and divers.

Following the CIF Section Championships, Eagle swimmers – as well as rival swimmers from schools like JSerra — will have another chance to swim in the high school swim season.

Swimmers will be able to qualify for the meet in two ways. The first is an automatic qualifier based on results from the section championship. The CIF Southern Section will receive five automatic entries. Also, sections are allowed to enter additional swimmers provided they met the “At-Large” time standard during the finals of their section championships, to then advance to the State finals.

Last year, senior Katie McLaughlin won both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly at CIF, also setting the National High School record in the 100 butterfly. Junior Grant Shoults won the first CIF individual title for the boys swim team since 2001 with his record time in the 200 freestyle. Both show potential in representing SMCHS at the State Championships.

However, the meet is generating mixed feedback due to the scheduled dates. Most, if not all, top swimmers are attached to a club while they are not swimming for their high school. McLaughlin and Shoults both swim for the Mission Viejo Nadadores. The state swim meet would add extra pressure to the summer club season, causing swimmers to be hesitant in participating in the CIF State Championships.

So, whether or not we have swimmers participating in this inaugural meet – or if they participate in the future — this is an outstanding and fresh take on the spring swim season.