Teams combine as the swim teams of SCHS and SCW merge to fight back against declining numbers. That’s right, the two sister schools have officially put each other’s swim teams together for this season, and likely for many future seasons as well.

Coach Lisa Graham was one of the people behind this decision. She claimed that they had been thinking about merging the two teams ever since this summer. She also said that there were some concerns while talking about the merge, such as putting two rivals together would take away from the experience. However, since they started practicing those concerns have been put to rest as the two teams have quickly become one. 

“I think at first there was thought that our main rival being West would take away from the experience, but I think since practice has started and the team has been bonding that is no longer a concern and we are moving forward as one team,” Graham said through email.

Switching lanes to the team itself, senior Veronica Jackson, originally a member of the High team, had similar thoughts, though different concerns to Graham on the merge. Jackson’s main concern about the merge is that it will be harder for swimmers to keep their spots on the team. But on the upside, this also means that they have plenty of girls for their team compared to two years ago, when there were only around eight girls on the team.

“It’s definitely harder for us to keep our spots but it’s actually nicer because last year we had barely enough girls for two teams, but this year we should have enough for three or possibly four,” Jackson said.

The merged teams will kick off their season December third against Washington High.