By Sienna Barstow
Sports Writer

The Scarborough High School boys’ swimming team is 5-0 so far this season, but the Red Storm are focused less on the wins and losses and more on working together and slashing swim times.

“Our focus is never really on winning a meet. It’s nice to win a meet, the kids feel good about it because that’s the norm. In basketball, football or softball they always have to win to make playoffs (but) here you don’t,” said Scarborough head coach Eric French. “Our goals are to get cut times, team unity and the rest will fall into place.”

In French’s ninth year coaching, he believes that the group will need all hands-on deck to make a splash this season.
“We’re a little less on top talent. A lot of these middle talent or kids that might have just shown up this year are being really accounted for. Everybody has to put into the team, it’s not just a few kids that are really helping the team win or be competitive. Everybody is put in the system,” said French.

Getting production from every swimmer is important, but there is top talent on both the boys’ and girls’ squads.
“Our top two boys would be Gavin McLeod and Sam Curtis. They are year-round swimmers,” said French. “Our top girl would be Leah Desveaux, who’s a senior. (She has) taken two years off from the team and came back this year. It’s good to have her back.”
The girls’ team is 1-3-1 on their 2018 – 2019 season.
“They’ve had a tough schedule, they’ve been very competitive with those teams, they just haven’t been able to pull out a win,” said French.
The Scarborough swim team may be filled with standouts, but it really is a team effort.
“These kids are blue-collar type kids. They’re not flashy, they don’t look for all the glory.

They go to work. They work hard. They give the coaching staff their best effort every day,” said French.
French is not only proud of the effort his team shows, but also their dedication to the sport.
“It’s a very committed group. They show up at 6:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays go through dry-land training, hop on a bus come to a pool and then swim until 9:30 at night and then not get back to the school until around 10 and then have to try to go to school,” said French. “Wednesday’s, we have an earlier time that’s around 3 to 4:30 so it’s a little easier. Thursday nights are like Monday. Fridays, we have a swim meet whether it’s home or away. It’s a lot — it’s kind of a job.”

Not only is the swim team hard working and committed, they’re also a great group of students.
“It’s a good group. They work well together. Everybody enjoys each other. It doesn’t matter what lane they’re in, they hang out with each other all the time. It’s nice to have that,” said French.

At the end of the day, French focuses on making sure his team has a strong work ethic and an energetic, fun atmosphere instead of winning.
“At the end of the day, swimming is not a sport where winning or losing really defines your season. You could win a state championship and not win a state meet,” said French.

Sports Writer Sienna Barstow can be reached at sbarstow@journaltribune.com or at 780-9018. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.

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