By: Brianna Borne '27

Splish Splash, Chapelle’s swim team makes a bond that will last. Chapelle’s swim team has been around for many years and continues to grow, allowing the girls to show off their skills. Swimmers can try out as early as eighth grade. There is a  JV and varsity swim team. Swim practices occur after school at Pontchartrain Racquet Club center from 3:30 to 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, during the swim season. Swimmers are given Friday off because Chapelle believes in allowing students to have possibilities to maintain their social life as well. Swim meets occur after school once weekly, usually on Tuesdays, at Southern University of New Orleans. The season begins on the first day of the school year and goes until the weekend before Thanksgiving Break, when the water chips leave for the state meet in Sulfur, Louisiana. The environment, although filled with chlorine, is full of cheer and happiness.

The girls are expected to work hard to improve their times and get to see their work pay off during their swim meets. All swimmers get to swim their events to make the Louisiana State Swim qualifying times. The typical procedure of a swim meet consists of taking a Chapelle Bus to the meet, warming up in the pool, swimming your events or relays, and cheering on all your fellow teammates. The bus rides can sometimes be filled with anxiety and stress due to the desire to improve. Still, the sisterhood, as you kick through your race in the lanes easily, overcomes all the fears. “The most stressful part of swim meets definitely has to be trying to beat your own time because when you're in the water, it is basically you against yourself,” explains sophomore Ella Matherne.  “However, having all my friends to cheer me up and help me finish my race helps to block out some of that noise.” The water chips can always stand at the pool's far end, cheering on every swimmer through their race to support them while they glide through the water. Along with the team support, we have coaches who support us and encourage us to be the best version of ourselves. Our coach is always helpful and challenges us so we can see the improvement we all desire, but reminds us it's okay not always to win. 

Furthermore, Chapelle takes pride in their teams' bonds, especially the swim team. Chapelle's swim team has many events where they can bond more deeply with each other and make their team a sisterhood. When Coach Campbell was asked about the team bond, she said, “I think the team is close. Y'all are a group of very nice girls who get along and have fun together.” For example, Fun Thursdays! We have a nice workout at practice, but we do fun relays and team activities for the last thirty to forty-five minutes to help grow our relationship. “ You are working hard, but having fun at the same time,” explains Coach Campbell when describing why she enjoys incorporating Fun Thursdays into practice. This shifts the dynamic by rewarding the swimmers to ensure they know their coach sees their hard work and wants to applaud them. After practice every other week, the swimmers will get a ‘sweet treat’ together. This can be any place where they decide to give them time to hang out and celebrate their hard work and their teammates' success. It goes beyond just seeing each other in the lanes at practice and allows a deeper bond to form. Another tradition the swim team holds dear to heart is “Swim Buddies” and team sleepovers. “My favorite swim tradition is all of the team bonding sleepovers and hangouts we do throughout the season,” says Sophomore Zoe Zabala.  Swim team captain, Lilly McNeil, adds, “ My favorite team bonding tradition is state buddies, which is when we kind of do Secret Santa, but in November, when we go to state. It is so much fun and so exciting seeing what everybody has, and if everybody's guesses are wrong.” Swim buddies is where every person picks a name out of a hat and buys them a well-thought-out, fun gift. Then, at a team sleepover, we all exchange gifts and hang out. This allows people to see they are being recognized for who they are, thus furthering the bond. 



In conclusion, the Water chips work hard and bond as a team to push each other to their full potential. Under the stress of the making times, Chapelle girls make sure to make each other feel loved, heard, seen, and motivated. All in all, team bonding is essential to make the foundation of the team more beneficial to each swimmer.