By: Derek Byrne

With five members and a new coach, the boys swim team is learning to adjust to unfamiliar circumstances.

After math teacher and former coach Matt Duffy stepped down, Staley business teacher Kelly Rule offered to fill the empty position.

“It is a change in tempo. As long as you’re nice to her she’s pretty nice back,” said junior Brett Bjerrum. “I feel like I’m getting a little more accomplished than I was with Duffy.”

Swimmers noticed her ambitious approach to leading the team.

“She demands more of you during a practice,” Bjerrum said. “She doesn’t let you sit around and talk.”

Sophomore Jacob Snyder believes Rule’s coaching style is one that addresses both attitude and effort.

“I think she’s trying to give us a more positive attitude to come in and work harder than we have in the past,” Snyder said.”

Rule also coaches the North Kansas City boys swim team. The two teams practice at the same times during the day, sharing pool and lane space.

“She seems to be running it just as if we’re one big team,” Bjerrum said.

A less well-received change came with the team’s size. The team currently consists of two seniors, one junior, one sophomore and one freshman.

“It’s making it harder to be competitive,” Snyder said. “When you only have five or six swimmers you can’t do much.”

Bjerrum anticipates change in routine as the team begins competing as well.

“I think it’s the size of our team that’s going to affect how things go at meets. I wouldn’t expect coach to put us in any events that we are bad at,” Bjerrum said. “Hopefully she looks out for the team’s best interest.”

Despite the positivity brought to the team by Rule, the low number of swimmers continues to have a negative effect.

            “What the seniors are leaving behind is something they wouldn’t want to leave behind,” Bjerrum said. “They’d rather have a nice big swim team.”