Joining a sport or club can be life-changing for high schoolers. Many students have found belonging, friendship, and family being on a sports team or club. In researching the girls swim team, I have found why joining a sports team or club is important. You can find a place to call home. Home isn’t just a place; it is the people that love and care about you forever and ever no matter what.
The Tinley Park High School swim coach of three years, Liz Hadhazy, shared her coaching insights.
Grace: What is your favorite part about being a swim coach?
Coach Hadhazy: My favorite part about being a swim coach is experiencing both the highs and the lows each swimmer has during the season. I enjoy supporting a swimmer when they are struggling to learn the sport and working hard as well as seeing the success they experience during a grueling season.
Grace: Out of the 3 years you have coached, what year has been your favorite?
Coach Hadhazy: Every season is very different. Different girls join the team and new girls join each year as freshmen. I’ve really enjoyed watching the seniors grow and mature from the sophomores I started coaching 3 years ago. So, I don’t have a favorite team I’ve coached, I’ve enjoyed them all.
Grace: How many girls have joined the swim team?
Coach Hadhazy: Our team size averages about 7-10 girls each season I have coached. I would love to continue to recruit and grow the team. The bigger the team, the more fun we have.
Grace: In 5 words, how would you describe the girls swim team this year?
Coach Hadhazy: We’re here for the vibes.
Titan Times also caught up with a few of the swimmers on the team this year. Senior Emma O’Connell has been on the swim team for four years.
Grace: Which year was your favorite?
Emma: Last year was my favorite, 2024, because I was good and our team was close in friendships.
Grace: What are 5 words you would use to describe the team?
Emma: Nyla’s mac and cheese casserole
Grace: What is a piece of advice you would give a freshman joining a new sport?
Emma: Do your best and have fun doing it, don’t stress too much.
Senior Ava Schultz has also been on the swim team all four years of high school, making state in 2022.
Grace: What was your favorite swim meet since coach Liz began coaching?
Ava: Senior Night because I did very well.
Grace: What are 5 words you would use to describe the team?
Ava: Family, exciting, fun, groovy, awesome
Kallista Mensing is a junior on her third year on the swim team.
Grace: What are 5 words you would use to describe the team?
Kallista:: Hardworking, Strong, Kind, Loyal, Courageous
Grace: What is a piece of advice you would give a freshman joining a new sport?
Kallista: Work hard, but not to the point where you push yourself too hard, and be kind.
As a freshman and first year member of the swim team, I would describe the team with these five words: loyal, sisterhood, caring, loving, and dramatic. I like that the girls on the team are like sisters. It is a really fun experience, even though it can be challenging at times. On the swim team, we may not be sisters by blood, but we are sisters by choice.
In conclusion, if you decide to join a sport or club, you won’t just find friends, you’ll find family for life. That is a great and wonderful blessing to get when entering high school.
