Hazen swim and dive coach Rick Wertman may have only had senior Alex Gayte on his team for one year, but it’s been enough time to get a good impression.

“If I had a team full of him we’d be right where I want to be,” Wertman said. “But the next best thing is having him in a leadership position.”

Gayte came in as a freshman with no competitive swimming experience and quickly improved through the years.

“It’s cool to see how I’ve progressed since my freshman year,” he said. “It’s bittersweet that it’s coming to an end, but it’s good to see the hard work paying off.”

After a bit of a shock at what exactly being a competitive swimmer entailed, he joined a summer league team after his freshman year and has continued to compete.

“I didn’t really know what I was getting into entirely,” Gayte said. “Now it’s senior year and it’s all or nothing.”

Gayte swam at state on Hazen’s 200-free relay team last year. The placed 20th and improving that placement has been his main focus this season.

Meanwhile Gayte’s leadership has been irreplaceable for Wertman in his first year.

“He’s been a tremendous asset, just in terms of quickly acclimating me to traditions and ways of getting things done here at Hazen,” Wertman said. “He’s arguably the strongest, both mentally and physically, on the team, with a caring leadership slant.”

In addition to swimming, Gayte also plays baseball and is a member of the National Honor Society. He hopes to attend a college in the northwest and is interested in a career in the medical field.