The Pattonville Pirate Code includes being involved. Freshman Mollie Emerick has made the most of that this winter as she joined the girls’ swimming team.

“I really enjoy swimming,” Emerick said. “So I decided why not join the swim team?”

The main event that she participates in is the 50-meter freestyle relay. Although she races in the seventh lane, she aims to be involved in more important events.

“My main goal for this season is to be put into a bigger race, maybe one that counts for points,” Emerick said.

According to Emerick, the team has won somewhere around three or four meets so far this season. Before every meet, she has a “ritual” of blasting her favorite songs into her ears. She finds it a great way to get pumped up and excited for the events that day.

When asked how she thought the team could get better, she said, “As a team, I think we need to work more on getting better at our individual events.”

Not everything that comes with getting involved is great. Emerick said that joining the swim team has no doubt made her life more stressful than before.

“Time for homework is almost impossible,” she said. “Sometimes when I get home, I am almost too tired to even hold a pencil.”

Although being involved in sports can cause a lot of unwanted stress, more good comes from it than bad. According to Emerick, the best part of swim team is the relationships that you build with other people.

“What I like the most about swim team, is all the great upperclassmen friends I have made,” Emerick said. “They are all super nice.”

Emerick said she doesn’t have any regrets about joining the swimming team. She also advices to any student who wants to get involved in an activity, “Get involved in an activity that you know you will enjoy.”