As the spring sports season comes to an end, Sierra Vista’s Swim team prepares for their 25th year of regionals and state championships. Pavilion Center Pool will host regional prelims on May 5, 2026, and finals on May 8, 2026, marking the new chance for the team to earn another state title. With nine girls and eight boys qualified for regionals and watching the dates inch closer, preparation for competing becomes more precise and exciting. This year, however, the team advanced to the 5A cutoffs, now fighting against harsher standards for times.
Head Boys Coach and Geometry teacher, Mikel Boland, earned the 2025 Nevada Preps All Southern Nevada Coach of the Year award for guiding his swimmers through their second 4A state title last season, hoping to earn their first 5A state title this season. Watching swimmers improve their times each swim meet keeps his motivation going after 12 years, Coach Boland explains, “I enjoy the strategy element of putting together meet line-ups, especially going into regionals. I also enjoy seeing the progression evident in improved times, especially for newer swimmers.” With the choice of placing each swimmer in a variety of events, practices remain designed based on his decisions of the week. Through watching swimmers improve across practices, he can view which event one will do best in or to try something new.
Heather Kolb, the Head Girls Coach and Freshman Studies teacher, celebrates her 5th year coaching and working with the swimmers. Coach Kolb illustrates, “I enjoy working with all levels of swimmers and sharing the excitement when they have a really good swim, especially one that they have been working on.” Coach Kolb works hard to prepare the swimmers for their weekly swim meet, depending on the event they plan to swim. Her reliability and support build the fundamental relationship she creates with her girls’ swimmers.
Although the coaches remain designated for teaching boys or girls, the separation appears based on a swimmer’s ability and experience; each lane usually maintains the same group of swimmers across the season, regardless of gender. “When we have a meet coming up, sets are focused on what the swimmers are swimming that weekend. I also take into consideration the day of the week. For example, Friday practice before a Saturday meet is going to be less intense than a mid-week practice,” Coach Kolb comments. Coach Boland informs each swimmer of their events that weekend, and weekday practices involve training for those events to ensure proper preparation. Standards for each lane differ based on the experience and events for the swimmers in the lane, expecting faster times for better swimmers and better improvement for newer swimmers.
The unity and connection built between the swim team remains unmatched throughout the years as new students join the team. Alexandra Czerwinski (12), the girls’ team captain, shares, “My favorite part of being on the swim team is meeting so many new teammates and doing relays.” A vital part of team connection is built through relay races, with the excitement of pushing each other and the representation of Sierra Vista at swim meets. The cheering surrounding a swimmer forces them to fight through the desire to rest.
As the 25th season for the Sierra Vista swim team closes, swimmers celebrate and push through their last few practices together. Hopefully, all the coaches’ and teammates’ hard work will shine through for their regionals and state competitions.
