For the girls at Enith Brigitha Middle, the swim team feels fiercely competitive, as they want their school to win a state title. Tinsley exacerbates this when she says, “YOUR school shouldn’t be named after a swimming champ” (43), making the stakes for that year’s swim season even higher. However, Bree and her friends learn that despite how important it feels to win the competition, it feels even better to be friends with one another. Moreover, they find that they are at their best as a team when their friendship is at its best.

Both Bree and Etta come to appreciate the value of friendship. While Bree’s father emphasizes how important it is to excel in school before forging friendships, she finds a fast friend in Clara, who lives in her building. Bree learns that Etta has a complicated relationship with her swim team friends, not just Mari. For both, the pressure of their respective competitions ends up eclipsing the friendships themselves. For example, when Bree learns that Clara is transferring to Holyoke Prep, she feels betrayed enough to quit the team. Clara has to tell her, “What are you talking about? I still live in the same building as you! You’ll see me EVERY DAY!” (243).