BonnerSprings.com

Senior co-captains Josh Cook and Zach Holder have been a big help this season to first-year Bonner Springs High School swim coach Lynn LaNoue.

"It has been huge having Josh and Zach as co-captains," LaNoue said. "They have been a great asset to both Coach (Jaye) Shaer and myself because both of us were new to the boys swim team this year."

Cook and Holder have performed well in the 100-yard breaststroke event this season. Cook was second in the first home meet in the highest finish this season.

Holder also swam well in the event at the team's second home meet in December.

"They have a camaraderie amongst themselves which is contagious to the rest of the team," LaNoue said. "They encourage the rest of the team either directly through words or indirectly through actions."

LaNoue said the co-captains also help a lot at practice.

"They lead by example by attacking the sets at practice and doing drill sets correctly," LaNoue said. "They add to the building of a team spirit."

The Braves returned to practice Friday after a five-day break for the Christmas holiday.

"(When) we held our first team practice this morning, only five of the twelve swimmers showed up due to the weather conditions or being out of town for the holidays," LaNoue said. "Most of the swimmers who did practice did workout (on their own) over the break so we spent most (today's) practice working on race dive drills."

LaNoue said he hopes the team eventually gets over all the illness that has plagued the team so far.

He is excited about getting more swimmers in the water after break.

"I am looking forward to see how the swimmers come back from the break," LaNoue said.

Although practices took place during the school break, classes for students have not been held from Dec. 23 through Jan. 6 for Bonner Springs High School. In addition, the two inch snow on Friday morning and other weather-related problems during the break have hampered the team.

One schedule note is that the originally scheduled Jan.8 meet at Washington was dropped from the Braves plans this month.

Instead, Bonner Springs has added a meet on Feb. 5 at Turner.

"The hopes are this championship meet, the ICSC (Inter-Conference Swim Championship on Feb. 5 now), will be held annually," LaNoue said. "The meet on the 8th has been rescheduled to accommodate a championship meet. It is specifically for those swim teams which do not have a conference meet to compete in towards the end of the season."

LaNoue said officials from Bonner Springs, Washington and Turner all helped arrange the Feb. 5 meet, since none of those teams have a conference meet to compete in during the swim season.

"I also am very excited about the ICSC (Feb. 5 meet)," LaNoue said.

The Braves next meet is Jan. 10 at Lawrence Free State.

"I have heard that it is a very fast pool at Lawrence Free State," LaNoue said.

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