In its final meet of the season before sections, Park won against Robbinsdale Cooper. The success gave the team confidence and excitement leading up to sections, which begins Oct. 24.

According to senior captain Greta Kulevsky, the team’s main goal at this meet was adjusting its attitude in order to know how to better prepare for sections.

“This meet helped with putting us into the right mindset for sections, a lot of swimming is all about the mindset,” Kulevsky said. “This week told us where we were and what we need to work on, be worried about and fix.”

Assistant coach Lily Rostal said the meet Oct. 13 gave her and the other coaches great ideas on what to work on.

“This meet pointed out what we are strong at and what we need to improve on, and that gives us ideas on what to pinpoint during practice,” Rostal said.

Senior Elie Grassley said she feels nostalgic competing in her final dual meet before she graduates.

“As a senior and swimming on this team for six years, it was kind of a bittersweet moment knowing that I’m done,” Grassley said.

Kulevsky said throughout her years on the team, she has felt like the swimmers created a family.

“The girls feel like my sisters now and the support is so consistent between us,” Kulevsky said. “It’s going to be hard (leaving), but the team is going to do well and I’m looking forward to it.”

According to Rostal, the improvements the team has made in practice and at meets have set it up to be successful at sections.

“They have all worked very hard and have trained well all season, and all their hard work will pay off at the meet next weekend,” Rostal said.

Kulevsky said the team spends a week pushing themselves as hard as it can to prepare for sections.

“For the rest of this week, we do a thing called peak week which is pretty much where we just really push it and work as hard as we can by pushing our limits,” Kuvelsky said.

According to Grassley, following peak week, the team begins taper where the swimmers let their bodies rest a bit before sections.

“(Next) week we will be starting taper, which is where you start cutting down yardage, focusing on more sprinting things and the intervals get slower, so you get more rest,” Grassley said. “That usually produces faster swims at sections.”

Park will begin its first day of sections Oct. 24 at Richfield Middle School against the rest of its section.