Woodrow Wilson senior Stephanie Martin always cries on New Year's Eve.

Not that she's sentimental.

It is tradition for her club team, the Dallas Mustangs, to have the most difficult workout on the final practice of the year.

The requirement is 20 500-yard swims during the three-hour morning practice.

"Last year, I cried after 12," Martin said. "This year, it was on the fifth. I think I did the first few way too fast."

Martin successfully lobbied her coach to allow her to change strokes, from freestyle to breaststroke, for some of the 500s.

"I hate freestyle," she said.

Martin was runner-up in the Class 4A 100 breaststroke at UIL state last year. She was seventh in the 100 butterfly, capping off the best performance by a DISD swimmer.

With the key high school meets on the horizon, the holidays don't afford much of a break for the serious high school swimmers and divers.

"You wake up after a practice like Monday's barely able to do anything," Martin said. "But the work pays off."

And even though she was tired, she was still awake when 2008 arrived.

Grapevine diver strives to keep improving

Grapevine senior diver Jordan Morcom's goal is to end her high school career with a state title.

Morcom finished third each of the last two seasons.

It has been a season of adjustments for Morcom after her coach, Kevin Wilson, left following the 2006-07 season. Luke Bagnaschi, who coached in Massachusetts before coming to Grapevine, replaced him.

"Kevin was more laid back," Morcom said. "Luke is younger and more intense."

She said being exposed to both styles of coaching is an advantage.

Between school and club, Morcom spends almost four hours a day practicing her craft.

"I know I'm better than I was at this time last year," she said. "I feel stronger."

She has been diving for 10 years. Her gymnastic background came in handy when she responded to a diving flyer at school.

Morcom signed a letter of intent with Missouri during the November early signing period. She visited Arizona State, Texas A&M and Michigan. She cancelled a fifth visit, to California.

"I wanted to go to a school where I wouldn't be the best diver, if that makes sense," she said. "Missouri has a diver from Canada that is very good, so it will make me a better diver to be around her."

Morcom's Class 5A state score last season was 414.85. She won her region meet with a score of 419.60.

Briefly ...

The UIL schedule for state and qualifying meets is a week later on the calendar than last year. Deadline for district certification is Feb. 2, with most meets in late January. Regional meets will be Feb. 8-9 followed by state Feb. 22-23 in Austin. ... Class 5A power Southlake Carroll will host Highland Park and Richardson Pearce in what should be a competitive three-team meet on Jan. 10. Highland Park's girls won their seventh straight Class 4A state title last year, and Pearce won boys 4A state. ... The Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD will host its New Year's Classic on Jan. 11-12.