YHS swimmers continue strong season in the pool

The Yosemite High School Swim Team returned from spring break focused and ready, said Coach Rae Rockey, putting together a strong week of training and competition.

“Several athletes showed major improvement, recording significant time drops and surprising themselves with new personal bests,” Rockey said.

Freshman Chloe Williams delivered one of the most impressive performances of the week. Taking on a challenging range of events from the 100 freestyle to the 500 freestyle, Williams dropped nearly 20 seconds from her previous times.

“Her progress reflects the hard work she has been putting in during practice, building both endurance and confidence in the water.”

Sophomore Cooper Flanagan had a standout week in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Continuing to develop into a key contributor for Yosemite, Flanagan has been putting in focused work on the quality of his stroke and the efficiency of his turns, his coach said.

“That work showed in a big way as he dropped personal best times in both events. His growth, attention to detail and competitive mindset are quickly making him a reliable and dangerous racer in sprint events.”

Another athlete making a strong impact is YHS football player and first-year swimmer Landon Bylow. He has quickly developed into a competitive force in the breaststroke while also contributing in freestyle sprint events.

“He brings a true competitive edge and heart to the team, showing up each day ready to work and push himself and his teammates.”

Highlighting the week, sophomore Kaiden Rockey delivered another record-breaking swim.

In the 100 breaststroke he outpaced Hilmar High’s top competitor and broke a long-standing Yosemite High School record set in 2012, posting a time of 1:00.77.

Together, Rockey and Flanagan are helping lead a strong sophomore core for Yosemite, the coach noted, setting the tone in both performance and work ethic and raising the standard for what the program is becoming.

The team competed in a busy schedule, hosting a home meet against Chowchilla and traveling for an away meet on Friday. The athletes handled the quick turnaround well, continuing to show growth and resilience.

“Overall, the team is gaining momentum as the season progresses,” Rockey said. “With continued focus in practice and strong team support, Yosemite High School is building something special in and out of the pool — one practice and one race at a time.