Lisa Irving takes over head coaching duties for Newtown High School’s girls’ swimming and diving team this fall. Irving succeeds Becky Osborne after serving as an assistant with the program for ten years. She previously coached the Torpedoes youth squad for 15 years, five as a head coach. Irving is a former Newtown High and Trinity College swimmer who went on to coach several teams in Connecticut, Virginia, and North Carolina before beginning this extended tenure in Newtown.

Irving has a new title but, thanks to the help of strong assistants, considers this to some degree to being a continuation of what she has been doing.

“Ryan Eberts is returning to the coaching team this year. He has an incredible amount of knowledge and passion for swimming, which is invaluable. He also brings great energy to the pool deck. We have been coaching the boys’ team for the past few years and we consider ourselves co-coaches. Also returning is Keristen Raccio in her third year as our diving coach. She is a talented and dedicated diving coach and we are really lucky to have her at NHS,” Irving said.

Although experienced and less-experienced swimmers require different styles of coaching the new head coach likes working with both just the same.

“I enjoy teaching new swimmers the basic stroke mechanics. It is always great to see someone learn a new skill or achieve a goal they have been working toward. At the same time, I love working with our more advanced swimmers on refining their technique and fine tuning their racing strategy so they can maximize their results in competition,” she said.

“I hope to continue to foster an environment where the girls are working hard but having fun. We have always tried to encourage a team-first mindset while also working to achieve individual goals. I love working with high school athletes and seeing their progress through the years on the team,” Irving added.

The Nighthawks she will work with this fall include captains Alexa Kwarcinski (individual medley/breaststroke/sprint freestyle, and an All-State swimmer) and Lilian Accettella (butterfly/mid-distance freestyle).

Other Hawks to watch for include Zoe Petertonjes (butterfly/sprint free, and All-State), Sierra Marx (backstroke/freestyle), Angela Wennerholm (distance freestyle), and Maddie Marcisz and Emily Metzker (strong contributors in a variety of events). Divers Grace Kase and Shannon O’Donnell are both returning; the coaching staff is expecting great things from both. Aliyah Reuther is new to the diving board but is an experienced gymnast so Irving and company are excited to see that transfer of skills.

“Goals are to be competitive against the stronger teams in the South-West Conference,” said Irving, whose team stands to get its toughest competition from powerhouses Pomperaug of Southbury and Weston. “As in the past, we are always looking for individual improvements, great races, and working as a team in addition to a good win/loss record.

“We have quite a bit of top speed, but one of our biggest strengths this year is our depth and versatility. We will be counting on the girls to show a lot of grit in their races. We also have a number of new swimmers and we are excited to see their growth and improvement,” Irving said. “Excited to see what this group of girls can do both individually and as a team when they come together.”

The regular season begins Friday, September 13, when Joel Barlow of Redding visits at 4 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.