How does a moment last forever? Or rather, how does a season last forever? This question is being asked by many Minnetonka athletes at this new stage of the overwhelming COVID-19 pandemic. Vik Kurup and Henry Rosenhagen, both ‘22, captains of the MHS boys’ swim team, reflected on their experiences swimming at the start of the pandemic and how it affected their new drive.

COVID-19 took over the dreams of many, and it is seen in the hearts and souls of these swimmers.

Rosenhagen reflected on how the “timing [of the pandemic] was terrible.” 

Many of the swimmers were just at their first steps to bigger things, but the nature of the pandemic stole many career-changing opportunities from Rosenhagen and many of his teammates’ grasps. 

Beyond upsetting sacrifices, Kurup finds the light in a new unification stemming from the pandemic. As many of the pools closed, the captains explained that many of their teammates fled to different states for the sole purpose of accessing a pool. Despite the fact that this was not an option for all, their different ways of coping came together as COVID restrictions became more lenient. Not only did the team manage COVID really well, these challenges created a new culture. 

As swimming left the lives of many, its importance became apparent to its enthusiasts. 

Kurup said “anyone with a commitment, when it becomes who you are and it’s taken away; it’s part of you that’s gone.” 

Through their challenges, the Minnetonka boys’ swim team hopes to live up to the girls’ recent accomplishments with a new-found drive and commitment. 

The Minnetonka boys’ swim team is a team to watch. A resilient bunch of athletes come together this season as they learn to suffer together and yell together, combining the challenges of their demanding training with their loud nature. 

With a complex and diverse team, Kurup and Rosenhagen proudly described how their team’s “energy melts together to this one really exciting group.”

So, how might a season last forever? The Minnetonka boys’ swim team overcame the pandemic’s complexity with the development of their team culture. Only as a result of these challenges that created such perseverance will this season last forever. So let these senior captains lift them away, as this season can last forever.v