The traditional swim meet pits one squad against another to hold races that stay true to the meaning of competition, but the Vaquero Battle veers far away from ‘traditional.’ 

In this intrasquad meet, the Coppell High School swim team dives into several races and events between swimmers, teachers and just about everyone in between, seeking to let go of the competitive nature of the sport but instead amplify the entertainment factor that many dismiss in the context of swimming.

Returning from a year in hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vaquero Battle meet will transform the Coppell YMCA swimming pool into a space filled with action and friendly competition on Monday. CHS head swim coach Amanda Ross and CHS9 marketing teacher Marieke Mastebroek, who is the former swimming coach, and her class are spearheading the event this year in hopes of bringing pleasure to the audience. 

“The Vaquero Battle is [a meet] to appreciate our teachers, a fun event for the swimmers and brings more people to see what we do as swimmers,” junior swimmer Samhith Komatreddy said.. “Usually not a lot of people really know [about swim] compared to other sports like football, so we hope to incorporate more people into it”

The event can be universally appreciated and does not require any knowledge of swimming, to which the swim team hopes to show the community what the sport truly represents and what they are made of as athletes. 

In previous years, events experimented with dynamics of height and experience such as having the shortest swimmer on the swim team race against the tallest basketball player with little to no prior practice in the pool, to which the event cultivates a joyous and laughable atmosphere. However, the races did not only serve entertainment purposes, as swimmers vy to win first place in traditional events as well, promoting friendly competition and team building. 

“It generally boosts our morale because we feel more confident because we are a team, we are having fun and everyone just feels happy,” Komattreddy said. 

Teachers, also, plunge into the fun in the midst of the Vaquero Battle, where they are invited by students to compete against them as well as one another in both swimming events and other challenges, which in past years has come in the form of a ring toss and ball toss for cash prizes.

The CHS swim team’s Vaquero Battle will commence Monday at the YMCA, beginning at 6 p.m.