Against The Odds: A Recap Of The QHSS Swim Team’s Season

The Queens High School for the Sciences has never been known for its sports teams and sometimes it may seem that the school is out numbered against other high school teams. However, our school spirit is always preserved and the QHSS Swim Team is a perfect example. Since the cancellation of the 2020-21 swim season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022-23 is the first regular swim season for all DOE high schools. QHSS never had a swim team in the past with few students partaking in sports in the school. With a small team of only 17 swimmers, led by captain Muhammed Youssef and co captains, Pearl Lee and Ethan Sionov. The team is one of only two Co-Ed teams within the district. This unique feature allows the team to stand out in competitions and provide opportunities for swimmers who might not have tried the sport.

That is not to say that the Co-Ed system is perfect, female swimmers often feel more competition when competing against their male counterparts. The team meets at the York College pool to practice twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Swimming is a very intense sport that focuses on speed, so practice is often intensive and draining, making it important for students to balance swim and schoolwork.

Nevertheless, technique is viewed as equally important. Many see swimming as an interdisciplinary art form where it is possible to become an exponentially better swimmer. The team is a place where one is able to master specific skills and learn how to swim more efficiently. The Coach, Mr. Amira is dedicated to making sure that every swimmer reaches their full potential. Many of the swimmers came into the team not knowing how to swim, something unheard of in bigger teams. In fact, one swimmer, Nihan (Senior ‘24) was competing for the first time before the end of the season. We wish the team good luck next year and hope that there will be more wins in the future.