Stokes emerges as team leader

Photo by Allison Schroeder

Junior Dylan Stokes works on his butterfly stroke at swim practice. Stokes began to grow as a leader this season and was named co-captain.

Ethan Coulehan, Staff Writers
February 5, 2020

Junior Dylan Stokes started swimming eight years ago as an activity to fill the summer. Now he is team co-captain.

In the beginning, he was not really a good swimmer, he said. But he took classes, and toward the end, he was the best one there.

He also improved a lot from eighth grade to freshman year at high school.

“I got bigger and that made me a better swimmer. My eighth grade year definitely got me ready for high school meets,” Stokes said.

Stokes has hopes to make it to WPIALs this year. He missed out on qualifying in the 100 meter and the 50 meter last year by one second.

He has not made WPIALs in his first two years of swimming at Baldwin. His big goal this year is to make WPIALs in relays and in solo meets.

“We can definitely get to WPIALs this year. We have a great team with great talent,” Stokes said.

Senior Joey Weber said Stokes has an outstanding work ethic.

“He is always so unmotivated and his work ethic is like no one else’s. Watching him lead is something special, especially this year,” Weber said.

Stokes has been improving from his sophomore year to this year, both in terms of his swimming and his leadership abilities.

“Seeing him as a sophomore almost qualify for WPIALs showed the team that he can do something special and become a great leader for the team,” Weber said.

Stokes takes his role on the team seriously.

“It is a good feeling being a leader. It makes me feel like I have accomplished a lot in swimming,” Stokes said.

Sophomore Kevin Weber, brother of Joey Weber, credits Stokes for making him a better swimmer.

“He notices the little things in our form and gives us advice on how to fix the slight problems we may have. He is willing to work with other swimmers one-on-one to make sure we fix the imperfections in our swimming strokes,” Kevin Weber said.

Kevin Weber also appreciates how Stokes pushes the team to do their best.

“Dylan always takes the initiative to push each and every swimmer so we are able to be better as a team as a whole,” Kevin said.