Swimming strong, having fun

Redmond High's three senior captains can root for each other, inspire their teammates and poke fun at each other all the same.

That's what makes the Mustang swim and dive scene such a fun place to spend their time. Kenny Ma said that winning adds to the upbeat atmosphere as Redmond had notched a 4-2 record at the Reporter's press time.

Peter Fitch said he enjoys hitting the Redmond Pool after school, being part of a team and helping lead the Mustangs to success from his captain's spot. Jason Fu jokes that while he may sometimes get the Mustangs out of line himself, Ma is there to get them back on track.

Along with a lot of young, fast kids making waves for the Mustangs this season, the senior captains have been making their marks in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley (Fitch), 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley (Ma), and Fu hopes to make some noise in the 100 butterfly. Fitch, who has been to the state meet twice, has a personal best of 1:58 in the 200 IM and 56.0 in the 100 back (he hit a 53.0 in club action). Fu, who has swam at state in the relays along with Fitch, notched a PR of 55.69 in the 100 fly last season and hopes to qualify for state in that event for the first time.

Ma said that stepping into a captain's role has been a rewarding experience.

"When I first came to the team as a freshman, I was definitely on the shyer side," said Ma, adding that he embraces the responsibility to guide his teammates, "Not only in swimming and what we're doing here at the pool, but becoming more open and coming out of their shells."

The Reporter asked the trio a series of questions for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lives.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Ma: Aim high, but be realistic with your expectations.

Fu: Not directly been given to me, but the best piece of advice I've ever heard was "We're in here for a good time, not a long time."

What do you appreciate the most in life?

Ma: I definitely appreciate the people around me, so my teammates, my fellow captains. That translates to just making sure that when I'm around people, I'm lifting people up the best I can. And if the people around me are feeling good, then I am, too.

What's your favorite restaurant in the area?

Ma: I don't go out to eat a lot. Jason takes us to Five Guys a lot, that's pretty good. I love pancakes, though… anywhere with pancakes, so IHOP, we went to Family Pancake House.

What's your biggest pet peeve?

Ma: I get particularly annoyed when someone might do something wrong, and then of course, a lot of people like to shrug off some blame.

Fitch: I don't really like when people chew with their mouth open. Just really gets on my nerves. (Ma jumps in and does just that as everyone laughs.)

Fu: Chewing with mouth open is up there.

What's your dream vacation spot?

Fitch: Mexico Beach, Florida, 'cause my uncle lives there and we've gone to visit him a couple times and that's just really fun — fishing and hanging out on the beach there.

What superpower would you like to have?

Fitch: I guess it would be cool to fly.

What's your favorite movie of all time?

Fitch: "Inglourious Basterds," it's a Quentin Tarantino movie.

What's a special skill that you'd like to learn?

Fu: I would like to learn how to backflip. It's in the realm of breakdancing, which I would like to do, but I don't think my current joints are gonna allow for that. It'd be cool, though.

What's your favorite kind of music?

Fu: I like music that kind of makes you nostalgic for something you've never had. I'm talking like "Country Roads" is one of our favorite songs here at the swim team…. "Bohemian Rhapsody." We're like a little bit past that generation. Everyone still really gets into it, and honestly, I have no idea why.