October 5th, 2022 was an emotional day for the swimmers on the Sunlake High School swim team, marking not only their final dual meet but also Senior Night. All of the seniors lined up with their loved ones beside them, bright smiles beaming across their faces. In front of them stood the rest of the team, holding kickboards overhead to create a path for the seniors to walk through when their name was called and their bio was read. Tien Duong is one of these seniors who were able to experience this moment.

He has “…been swimming for over 13 years” and “…enjoy[s] swimming competitively.” Before swimming in high school, Tien swam on Florida Elite, where he still currently swims for their club team. As much as he enjoys swimming on a team, Tien is choosing “…to pursue other life goals” in college because he does not believe “…the time commitment is worth it.” Although he does not wish to pursue swimming any further than high school, Tien still feels connected to the sport. Senior Night made him “realize that it was the end of a part of my [sic] life.”

The swim meet was full of lively energy, but tears were still shed by parents, coaches, and teammates alike. “I was very sad,” Tien said. The final dual meet marked the end of an era for these seniors. As much as they should be proud of their accomplishments, bittersweet feelings will always follow.

Throughout the four years Tien swam on the Sunlake swim team, he has enjoyed “…coaching and motivating my [sic] high school friends.” He’s always loved “….encouraging my [sic] teammates to push past their limits and be better every day.”

Overall, the meet and Senior Night were a great success. Sunlake won on both the girl’s and boy’s side by a landslide.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Katelyn Madley

Ella Dobrzanski, Raeanna Pontliana, Madison Houck, and Trinity Boyle pose in front of the Senior Night set up at the Land O Lakes Recreational Center.