Swimmers buy baby gifts

IT%E2%80%99S+A+GIRL.+Assistant+coach+Stephen+Langdon+and+his+wife+Carly+open+up+presents+gifted+from+the+Varsity+swimmers.+The+Langdons+received+a+variety+of+gifts+ranging+from+onesies+to+diapers.+The+party+took+place+at+4%3A30+p.m.+directly+after+swim+practice+in+the+team+room.+

Jessica Lu

IT’S A GIRL. Assistant coach Stephen Langdon and his wife Carly open up presents gifted from the Varsity swimmers. The Langdons received a variety of gifts ranging from onesies to diapers. The party took place at 4:30 p.m. directly after swim practice in the team room.

On Jan. 30, the members of the Varsity swim team shocked assistant coach Stephen Langdon with a surprise visit from his wife and a baby shower after practice.

While the team is known to stressfully endure arduous practices, the swimmers happily exchanged laughs with their coach as they celebrated the momentous occasion.

“Which one is pregnant?” said Keegan Veraldo, 9, as a lighthearted joke.

Langdon’s wife, Carly Langdon, is due in April. The couple is expecting a girl.

At the party, swimmers and parents were treated to decorated cookies and watched as the Langdons opened their baby shower gifts. Freshman Marissa Thorpe and her mother organized the occasion, sending invites and collecting money from swimmers to buy presents.

A couple of swimmers like juniors Elizabeth Van Den Brink and Samuel Risma along with senior Sarah Abraham gifted the Langdons with purchases of their own.

“I went shopping with the others and bought some fancy spoons,” Risma said.

Langdon also coaches at Marlins, a year-round, competitive swim club that many Varsity members swim for during off-season. At SHS, he helps head coach Daniel Carl manage the team.

“He’s tough, but he cares about you. He pushes you in the best way possible,” said Adam Kossen, 11.

Those outside of the swim team can still recognize Langdon around school. Langdon is currently a student teacher in Mr. James Smanik’s AP Biology class.