ANDREWS For Andrews swimmer Wyatt Bennett, this season is his final hoorah as a competitor as he said he won’t be competing at the collegiate level after he graduates.
He’ll look to make the best of it as he hopes to add a third consecutive year of qualifying for the Class 4A State Swimming Championships this year.
Bennett will be competing at regionals as the Mustangs host the Region I competition this Friday and Saturday.
Over the years, Bennett says he’s wanted to become more of a leader while remaining competitive and he believes he’s done just that.
“I’ve really wanted to grow as a leader as well as lower my times because I’m trying to break a few records right now, but I’m trying to elevate my teammates,” Bennett said.
After going to state his freshman year as an alternate, Bennett qualified during his sophomore and junior years.
Last year, he competed at state at the Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio in two events, qualifying in the 200-yard intermediate and the 100-yard butterfly.
He finished fifth in the 200-yard intermediate with a time of two minutes and 4.25 seconds while finishing fifth as well in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.37.
This week, Bennett will be competing in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke.
However, when asked which event has been his favorite to compete in over the years, Bennett had to stop and think.
“Personal favorite, that’s tough but I really love the 100 butterfly but I also love the 100 breaststroke … Butterfly is a fun stroke to swim because you feel powerful in the water. Freestyle, I’m good at it so I love it as well.”
Over the years, Bennett and his teammates have had to follow a very rigorous training schedule.
“During the off-season, I hit the weight room very hard with some cardio in the morning,” Bennett said. “During the regular season, we have weights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and then swimming in the afternoons.”
He tries not to think too much about this year being his last as a swimmer for Andrews.
The biggest challenge for him this year has been to just remain positive about everything.
“Definitely, it would be trying to maintain a positive attitude,” Bennett said. The most critical thing I can do is maintain a good attitude and stay motivated.”
After high school, Bennett plans to go into the military as he said he is enlisted in the Marine Corps.
If there’s anything that he would love to study it would be engineering.
One of his hobbies is working on his 1986 Corvette.
“I love working on things because right now I’m interested in working on my car on in my spare time, so I like to design things, mechanically,” Bennett said.
Bennett’s work ethic has earned him praise from his head coach Mike Waldmann.
“He comes in each and every day with that strong desire to keep improving himself each day,” Waldmann said. “He keeps improving himself each day …I like seeing the success he’s had each year. He’s one of the strong group of guys who’s developed good habits over the years from previous seniors and he’s passing that along to the younger swimmers we have here. I certainly welcome that.”
