Captains propel Goshen's swimming and diving team toward bright future

By Josh Lashley
GOSHEN — The Goshen High School swim program is just emerging from its infancy. Having leadership, and the right kind, is pivotal.
Fortunately, the Gladiators have leaders both on the coaching staff and on the roster, including the team captains, Marcus Roman and Blake Albanese.
Roman is a senior and Albanese a junior. Both captains are well respected, not only by their coaches but by their teammates as well.
“Marcus and Blake were voted captains by their teammates,” Goshen head coach Melissa Kubik said. “I actually do not choose the captains. I feel that it should be a decision left up to the athletes. The captains are the leaders of our team and it is important that the swimmers have the opportunity to choose teammates that they feel represent them the best.
“Marcus has been part of three relays which broke 2017 School Records and has qualified for the Section IX Championship Meet in multiple events. Blake was also part of the three relays which broke 2017 School Records and he has broken the School Records for the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. He has qualified for Section IX Championships in multiple events.”
It’s noteworthy that both captains have made individual improvements while always on hand to help their fellow swimmers improve.
“I see an overall improvement in their training capacity but most of all in their confidence as individual swimmers and as a team,” Kubik said. “Our captains can often be found before and after practice helping their teammates with swimming skills they want to improve upon.”
The Gladiators as a team get the work done where it’s most important — in the classroom.
“The boys varsity swim team has been a New York State Scholar Athlete Team for the last three years,” Kubik said. “Blake and Marcus are amazing leaders in this area, always encouraging their teammates.”
The Section IX Swimming and Diving Championships are scheduled from Feb. 14 through Feb. 16 at Valley Central High School. A number of student-athletes have been contributing mightily this season.
“Our team is very young, this is only our fourth year of competition,” Kubik said. “This year we have had a huge contribution from our Middle School athletes. Andrew Lueng, seventh grade, has already broken the school record in the 100 backstroke and was part of the three relays that broke school records. Grant Moore, seventh grade, has already broken the school record for diving.”