Lake Country Swim Team is a competitive club swim team that “develops outstanding character, values and skills,” according the team website.

Lake Country Swim Team, or LCST, was founded in 1982 with a little group of swimmers, and has now grown to over 300 swimmers, girls and boys. Most swimmers have been swimming almost their entire life. This is the case for LCST swimmer and Arrowhead senior Maddie Worgull who has been swimming nine years. She says “half my life has been in water!”

According to the website, Lake Country Swim Team is one of the “finest” swim team in Wisconsin and is well-known around the midwest for its outstanding national swimmers. LCST swimmers often swim for the Arrowhead High School swim teams. People interested in joining LCST can call 1-(262) 367-7657 for more information.

Almost all the swim meets are all day both days of the weekend, which is hard for commitment issues.

LCST swimmer and Arrowhead junior Abby Fickle says it is very hard to get into the habit of getting up early but “once you get the hang of things and get into a rhythm, it gets easier.”

Fickle also says it is hard finding time to do homework especially with the extracurriculars she is involved in (Chinese Club, Best Buddies, Key Club and church activities).

Lake Country Swim Team competes in meets in state and out of state. Most of the in state meets are held in Wisconsin at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Milwaukee, or at other nearby pools. Lake Country Swim Team does not host many meets at the Arrowhead pool, due to lack of lanes, size and bad air quality.

“Once in awhile,” says Worgull, “we will have a really fun meet within the club and only do 25 or 50 yard races [one length or one lap].”

Fickle agrees saying the meets within the club are “very exciting,” but says that LCST does not host the important meets.

The practices before and after school, exhausting all weekend meets, and constantly being criticized to do better at her stroke has Fickle wondering why she even does swim, she says.

The reason they both compete and practice for LCST is that they strive for greatness and want to get better, “and you can get money in college if you are good enough,” says Worgull.  

For the most part, both girls enjoy swimming with Lake Country Swim Team, the team, and the way the coaches push them to do their best.

Fickle says she will most definitely be swimming with them in the years to come, and she really enjoys her teammates.  

Worgull agrees saying that when she come home from college next year, during the summer or holidays, she will practice them to continue swimming on her breaks.