W. Swim relies on spirit and togetherness to win

How much weight does a positive attitude pull? The Penn women's swimming team is about to find out. The Quakers (0-5, 0-5 EISL) will be putting on display their new optimistic outlook when they travel to Providence, R.I., to take on Brown at the Smith Swim Center tomorrow. So far there have been very few bright spots for Penn. A winless season, coupled with only a handful of experienced swimmers who consistently place first in events, has put the Quakers in the unenviable position of having to create their own optimism through means other than the exhilaration that naturally occurs with a victory. During winter break, the athletes were able to participate in a unique situation which resulted in unity uncommon to a team with a losing program. All the athletes were brought back to campus two weeks before classes began. They ate together, hung out together, and even lived together. This coincided with a downright grueling practice schedule. Confronted with such a unique set of circumstances, the Quakers welcomed this as an opportunity to bond. They removed themselves away from the normal world of jobs and classes that normally hinder the athletes from getting to know one another. "We got together a lot over break," freshman Christy Meyer said. "We hadn't had much time to spend together outside of the pool. We got to spend some time together as a class and as a team, so now we all seem much more supportive of one another." This intangible sense of belonging cannot yet begin to be measured. Since the team is so young, and because Penn already has five swimmers coming in for next year via early decision, this togetherness will be used as a base for the upcoming seasons. "It's very encouraging as a coach to see their hard work paying off," assistant coach Mike Schnur said. "They're getting faster, and their shared experiences bring the team together. This will be a building block for the next two, three or four years." Once the Quakers arrive at Brown (1-5, 1-3), they will have their best opportunity of the season to get a victory. The two squads are evenly matched, and if the times each team had against Dartmouth have any meaning, the prospects for Penn are good. This weekend could very well represent a turning point in the future of the women's swimming team. "This team is tough," Schnur said. "They overcome adversity, they overcome great odds each week."