Tuesday Time Machine: The 2016 Women's Swim/Dive Team

With 24 sports going on at Orange Coast College, the job of a sports information director takes me in all different directions and along the way, I've been able to witness amazing achievements throughout my 14 years on the job.

However, along the way, there have been times during journey where I simply could not see the amazing achievements of some of our sports. With the high volume of sporting events and low volume of sports information directors on the payroll, I just can't be everywhere at the same time, so, I have to rely on my coaches and other SIDs at championship events to pass along the information to me so I can do my best to give a decent second-hand account of things.

This is, by far, my most frustrating part of my job. ALL of our student-athletes deserve all of the adulation and recognition that's deserved, especially our state champion teams who not only reach the top of their sport at this level, but also leave a lasting, historical impression on our school for all time. 

One of our most dominating sports on the OCC campus comes from our men's and women's swim programs. Since 1981, the men's and women's swim teams at Orange Coast College have won an incredible 28 team state championships and hundreds of individual and relay state championships ... too many to list in this one story. 

But from MY world, swimming coverage at OCC is an ultimate challenge. And here's why ... 

• Prior to 2020, the Pirates' swimming pool has been, well, let's just say, slightly less than capable of hosting a decent birthday party, let alone any kind of meaningful CCCAA swim meet. So, the Pirates have to travel throughout the greater Southern California area (any beyond) to compete, leaving me scrambling for any/all results, pics and coverage. The fact that the Pirates have won 28 state swim titles while training in a pool built before water was invented is truly a testament to the hard work of the coaches and the dedication of our Pirate swimmers.
• With the Pirate swimmers on the road, my main objectives are to properly cover OCC's home sporting events. In the spring, when there is a baseball game, a softball game, two tennis matches, a track meet and back-to-back basketball games all happening at home on the same day (yes ... this actually happens), it's impossible to give EVERY sports the time and attention deserved. 
• Finally, when it comes down to the postseason, where our swimmers deserve the most attention, we are usually hosting postseason competition in other sports, so again, I'm obligated to stay at OCC instead of making it out to the OEC Championships, the SoCal Regionals or the CCCAA State Championships. 

Well, in 2016, I finally got the opportunity to get out and following the Pirate swimmers in person! I was able to make it to the third and final day of the CCCAA State Swim Championships at East Los Angeles College and got to witness firsthand, what goes on for the Pirate swimmers and coaches. And, it's a day I'll never forget. 

For those unfamiliar with swimming, state team titles are won by either having a very deep and talented crew who, while maybe not winning each race, earns points throughout the standings and can top teams by sheer volume ... or ... they simply kick the crap out of everyone else in each race.

In 2016, OCC chose "C" ... All of the Above.

The year prior, the 2015 Pirates had a young, but talented team and finished second                       in the state. In 2016, with the majority of that team returning, Coast came out fast and furious on Day 1. On that day, there were five races on the women's side and Coast won the state title in ALL FIVE RACES. Individual champions Sierra Cox (500-yard freestyle), Alexa Clayfield  (200 IM) and Rebecca Aguilar (50 freestyle) were joined by championship performances in the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay on that memorable opening day of action.

With just a quarter of the meet completed, the Pirates already had a 43-point lead on the rest of the schools at the meet ... and the fun was just beginning.

Day 2 saw seven more events and there, the Pirates won FIVE MORE events to continue the domination. Clayfield (400 IM), Aguilar (200 free) and Hannah Veseth (100 breaststroke) joined the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relay teams atop the podium for OCC.

So with all this happening and a rare playoff-free Saturday on campus, I was able to trek up to East L.A. College and witness firsthand the domination that was taking place.

Aguilar, who was named the State Swimmer of the Year, won her third freestyle state title with a start-to-finish win in the 100 free on Day 3. Over her two-year career, Aguilar claimed FIVE freestyle state titles, etching her career in the OCC history books forever.

In the final race of the afternoon, the 400 freestyle relay, the Pirate foursome of Aguilar, Clayfield, Cox and Nacinda Paap capped off OCC's 12 state title out of 20 events. Showing the depth, OCC also picked up two silvers and three bronzes over the three-day event against the best of the best in the state. 

Coast finished with a team score of 569 points ... one zip code over was runner-up Sierra with 337 points. 

I remember walking out of that pool area in total awe and admiration for every member of the OCC swim team and its coaching staff. The work and dedication on both ends of this sport is nothing short of incredible. I also walked out of there ticked off because it took me just over 10 years to finally see a swim meet. Now, that we are about to open up our Taj Mahal swimming complex, my absence at Pirate swim meets will be fewer and farther between. 

The idea that OCC is about to get a state-of-the-art swim complex that will rival any facility at any level in the country, I can only image what our future will look like in the water. I think we better make sure our new building has plenty of shelving space for the next generation of trophies!