It’s February and Winter sports are back in full swing; Enid High School has three winter sports programs available for students to compete in. We offer boy and girls wrestling, boys and girls basketball, and boys and girls swimming. This month our Plainsmen/Pacer “Pride of the Plains” student focus is on EHS Junior Swim team member Kade Couchman.
Kade Couchman, a Junior on the EHS Swim Team, came to Enid High School this past fall. Kade started competitive swimming in the fall of 2018. Before that, he hadn’t even had experience with any of the strokes. After talking with Kade he says “many of his challenges stem from my lack of experience with the technical elements of the strokes.” Over the next two years, Kade would like to help the relay teams for EHS swim to set new records. He wants to encourage the team to push themselves to continue to reach individual state qualifying times as well. Head Swim Coach Lyndsay Watts says “Kade’s example has helped drive our team toward excellence this year and we are so blessed to have him!”
Being a student-athlete comes with a different set of standards and expectations. Eligibility for athletes is checked weekly and the amount of time the athlete spends on their craft only adds to their workload. “Being an athlete on the Enid High Swim Team has taught me the importance of time management, hard work, and dedication, in the classroom as well as the pool” says Kade Couchman. If Kade could offer advice to other athletes, he would like to tell them to put trust in their coaches and complete the tasks given by their coaches to the best of their ability. Set goals with them and make working toward them a priority.
Kade has never participated in High School athletics until this year. Cooperation and communication are two of the lifelong skills that athletes learn from participating in high school sports. Kade is working on these two skills as a new team member along with becoming an excellent example and team player. His motivation is to live up to the standard that has been set by his older teammates. His plan for the future includes qualifying for State, Nationals, and then to attend a college on a swimming scholarship. “The positive impact that he has made on this team in just a few short months is mind-blowing. Kade holds himself and his teammates to a high standard in regards to attitude and work ethic” said Coach Watts.
As Kade and his teammates continue to strive for excellence, we are excited to see what the future holds for Kade and the EHS Swim team.
Enid Athletics Plainsmen/Pacer Pride of the Plains Brought to You by Slater Mechanical
