BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The High School State Swimming and Diving Championships began Thursday in Clovis. Garces, Bakersfield Christian, and Liberty High from Bakersfield all had swimmers qualify for the meet.
The Liberty High School Girls' Relay Swim Team is looking to win a state championship medal after a record-breaking weekend during the Central Section Championships.
"I mean, it's a really good feeling, and all the hard work we put in all year finally comes to show, and it's a really good feeling," said Liberty swimmer Sophia Muños-Rodriguez.
Liberty Swim Head Coach Marc Urmston seems a little in awe of what his team has accomplished.
"It's been since, I think, 1987 since a relay team won and set a new meet record. That's pretty incredible when you think that Liberty doesn't even have their own pool. So we come from that to setting a new meet record in the 200 free," said Urmston. "They're just amazing."
Creating history is something Samara Moseley is thinking about at the meet in Clovis. The sophomore says she hopes to be a role model for kids that look like her.
"It's also really important for me as a female black swimmer to be even going to states in California, so I'm gonna see if I can get another buddy," said Moseley. "Getting this far has been such an emotional experience. Me just showing up every day and seeing other black athletes like Simone Manuel and Natalie Hinds working so hard, and it's really made me see, like, I can be a role model for other little black girls out there."
Regardless of what happens at the state championships, this group feels like they have a bond that will last a long time.
"All of them are really sweet," said Moseley. "They're really hard workers, and I'm so glad I get to show up in the pool and work so incredibly hard with them, and spend so much time with this amazing team."
Coach Urmston agrees that the team feels like an extended family.
"I have my own children, but to be able to watch and understand that they're my children at the same time, to be able to watch them succeed?" said Urmston, "That's pretty amazing."
