This story was originally published in the first issue of The Bear Truth (October 11, 2019).

At the high school level, it seems like lots of sports teams and clubs can go unnoticed. Is it because of a lack of publicity? The unawareness of all the new and exciting things that go on throughout a week in our school? Let’s start with the swim team. With 24 boys and girls in total, the swim team competes weekly against other schools in the area as dual meets and in swim invitationals. An invitational meet is a meet that swimmers get invited to as an opportunity to be a representative against a number of other schools at once. 

However, the real question is: What is the swim team all about?

Firstly, it’s not a secret Winter Springs High doesn’t have a pool. You might be wondering, how are we supposed to have a swim team if we don’t even have a pool? Why did our swimmers join in the first place? 

Senior Tapiwa Murimwa said, “I joined sophomore year, and honestly, over that summer, I was in the pool all the time, and my mother was like ‘you better join!’ and so I did it and I’ve loved it ever since.” 

With that being said, swimming is honestly second nature to many of us Floridians as it is a way to escape the heat. However, as much as someone may swim to cool down, what did our swimmers have to do to prepare for the season?

Tyler Rose, a junior, explained, “I had to change my diet, and I had to get into shape.”

With all sports there’s usually a preparation, whether it be to cut down on junk food or to practice more often. Although, is jumping in a pool and doing some laps really something that comes to mind to most of us? What is so exciting about swimming?

Junior Halle McWilliams voiced, “It’s really fun to just cheer people on, see how good people can grow throughout the whole season, and be able to better ourselves and our times.”

Finally, the swim team is something seldom talked about. Why? 

Julia Mauter, a junior, who recently just beat school record in the 100 fly with a time of 59.25, wrapped it up with this: “It’s not a mainstream sport, I don’t think a lot of people know how it works, but I think people should join more because it’s definitely harder than it looks.”