In the sports world there is nothing more important than tradition. Schools pride themselves on it and the athletes at the institutions are motivated by it. When it comes to Liverpool High School, tradition is no greater than in its swimming program. The boys’ team has a long history of dominance dating back to the late 1960's through the early 1980's; at one point they won 15 consecutive sectional titles. The 2008-2009 Warriors team looked to add to the school's historic success.
Leading the experienced Warriors is head coach Mike Ferrell, who arrived in Syracuse close to 35 years ago. Ferrell previously coached the Camillus Swim Club and the boys’ varsity swim team at Jamesville-Dewiit, among other stops, before arriving at Liverpool. When asked to compare his current job at Liverpool to his other coaching jobs Ferrell hardly hid his favoritism.
“The proud legacy of the Liverpool boys swimming team is unmatched in New York state,” he said.
The team's goal has always been to stay atop the ranks and be recognized as one of the premier high school swimming programs in the state. Being able to accomplish that goal, especially this season, had the team heavily depending on its senior leadership. Ben Hanna, Joe Lee, Paul Telesca, James Walker, and Dan Zinger have 4 years worth of experience on their side.
“They provide an embodiment of the dedication and commitment that becomes the pride of this program,” Ferrell explained. While the team will lose some of it's leadership come the 2009 season, Liverpool has hopes that the remaining members of the team will lead by example and show true dedication just as this year's strong senior class had.
The Warriors overmatched the competition throughout the season and were able to have major victories through the months of December and January. Some of the season's highlights include a 102-82 victory over Oswego on Dec. 4 and a 114-69 triumph over Baldwinsville on Jan. 29. Liverpool finished 4th in the Section 3, Class A results and 3rd in the Section 3 State qualifying events that were held on Feb 12 and 14. The season may have not been as successful as they would have liked, but regardless of that the team is still building a solid foundation for future Warrior teams.
Liverpool has heavy expectations every single year and through it all the team has been able to overcome the pressure through solid coaching and hard work. Ferrell prepares his team with strong technical and physiological training in order for them to be ready for all comers. The intense work ethic has paid off and the Warriors, year in and year out, are swimming past the competition.
