At the surface, swimming is loud.
A startling air horn disrupts the hushed crowd and dictates the start of the race. Then there's the splash upon impact as eight bodies simultaneously collide with the water. As they break the surface, there's the thunder of their powerful kicks, churning up a small current. Their arms glide or thrash, depending on the event, as they leave calmer waters in their wake.
It's controlled chaos, all while gasping for air.
But underneath?
"It's definitely a lot of staring at a black line."
Senior captain Ryan Merani puts it simply but sometimes, simple is the way to go. Swimming is an individual sport: swim your race; stay in your lane. Stay on path; stare at the black line.
And yet, specifically at the collegiate level, it's also a group project. And this year's edition of the Kentucky men's swim team is determined to veer off path in pursuit of an A.
"I'm going to swim in a lane by myself and no one can do it for me, but I think everything that happens before that and after that contributes to how I perform in a race," Merani told BBN Tonight reporter Maggie Davis. "I don't swim my best if I don't have the team."
Merani and fellow senior Levi Sandidge met Davis and BBN Tonight photographer Nick Lazaroff poolside ahead of the team's first meet of the season.
They talked about some of the intricacies of the sport (what could one possibly think about during a 66-lap race?!), how they balance individual events with team results, the value in leaving a place better than you found it, and the team's mentality heading into year three of head coach Bret Lundgaard's tenure.
"The team mantra this year is disruption," Sandidge responds without hestitation. "We are here to disrupt the NCAA, to disrupt ourselves, [and] to show ourselves that we can do things we didn't think we were able to do. Going in and not letting ourselves hold ourselves back."
Watch below for their full conversation:
The men's team is coming off its best finish in 15 years, and the Cats enter the season ranked No. 21 in the latest version of the CSCAA poll.
The Wildcats will return to the pool this Friday for a road trip to LSU. The dual meet between the Cats and the Tigers is set to begin at 11 a.m. ET.
Kentucky will return to the Bluegrass but stay on the road for their third meet of the season, as UK travels to Louisville on Thursday, November 6 at 4 p.m.
For more on Kentucky swimming and all of the Wildcats, join us on BBN Tonight, airing weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.
