In the last couple of years, Albany’s Deerfield-Windsor School made quite a splash in the competitive diving scene. The girls varsity team dominated in the water and earned its second straight GISA state championship, solidifying a reputation of consistency and resolve for the Lady Knights.
At the 2017 championship competition, Deerfield-Windsor dominated Augusta Preparatory Day School, resulting in a final score of 136-86. The meet was an impressive display of talent from multiple star performers. Dorian Usry, junior, led with two individual state championships, two first-places finishes in relay, and an additional second-place individual finish. Sophomore Anna Johnson and senior Perin Hancock earned first-place in individual events, while the 200-yard medley relay and 200-meter freestyle relay teams, comprised of Usry, Hancock, and Deena Willcox, earned state championships. Johnson also contributed a second-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle.
Assistant head swim coach Morgan Garcia noted that the year was indeed a great one for the Lady Knights, adding that the co-ed team also earned a second-place overall finish.
“The leadership paired with the combined experience and overall chemistry of the team was as evident this season as it was in the last,” Garcia said. “We were able to showcase a combination of talent and commitment in our team, the result of 13 years of cultivation.”
Garcia, who was the original head coach at the onset of the program now led by coach Lisa Bartlett, is excited to see what 2018 holds for the team with the progression of talent.
“Although we are losing Perin Hancock, one of the top scorers in Deerfield-Windsor’s swimming program history, we have several returning and rising stars with what we hope will prove to be enough talent and commitment to secure a third consecutive state championship,” Garcia said.
Garcia’s confidence in the team comes from working with athletes who are motivated and dedicated to raising the bar. As a coach, Garcia said that he looks for ways to drive each student to improve and bring her best to the team, adding that the coaching team focuses on discipline.
“We don’t believe that practice makes perfect,” Garcia said. “We believe that perfect practice makes perfect, and we don’t settle for mediocrity during workouts.”
He praised the girls for consistently bringing their best to practices and meets.
“They understand that they are all accountable to the team, and none of them want to let the others down, so they won’t settle for less than the best from themselves or each other,” Garcia said.
Swimming, unlike most other competitive sports, blends individual and team competition in a way that requires players to focus equally on besting the competition in both individual and team capacities.
“We encourage our swimmers to consistently push themselves and to strive for perfect practice,” Garcia said. “They can’t focus on anyone else when they’re racing, so we train them to compete with themselves. We help them set realistic goals that ultimately lead to second over second improvement. As they progress individually, they earn more points, which ultimately leads to the success of the whole team.”
Usry, who has been swimming competitively with the Deerfield-Windsor program for many years, had an undoubtedly boast-worthy season, and Garcia expects that she will bring even more ferocity to the competition next year.
“I look forward to seeing Dorian really step up and come into her own as a leader,” Garcia said. “She spends an amazing amount of time in the water developing her craft, so she is always comfortable and relaxed. I’m excited to see how she is able to help her teammates grow to the same level of confidence.”
Garcia believes that Usry will be integral in the development of the younger swimmers.
Star athlete Johnson, whom Garcia described as “a machine,” was also a consistent achiever this year.
“Anna is the hardest working athlete on the team,” Garcia said. “She is focused and leads her teammates by example. She is very vocal with the other girls, and I’m excited about seeing her grow as a leader over the next couple of years.”
Johnson, who also rides and shows horses competitively, said that the year was a challenging but encouraging one.
“I had some concerns at the beginning of the year about being able to improve my times, and it was definitely tough having to split focus between riding and swimming,” Johnson said, explaining that show season and swim season have some overlap. “When Perin was injured, we definitely had our work cut out for us, but the team really pulled through and came together. There was a lot of pressure on us to live up to the standard we set after winning the state championship for the first time last year, and we delivered. We’re going to put everything into continuing the legacy we’ve built by defending our title again next year.”
As the Lady Knights push themselves to new heights, will next season prove the team worthy of a third consecutive title? Only time will tell, but if the team and individual performances of 2016 and 2017 are any indication, 2018 looks quite promising.
Winning in the Water
Written by: Miranda Moore
Photography courtesy of Deerfield-Windsor School
