POTOMAC, Md. — Throughout the winter months, with temperatures below freezing, in windy conditions, sometimes during a snow storm and cold rain, you'll find the St. Andrew's Episcopal School swim team outside, in the elements and in the pool.
“It builds a lot of resiliencies because you have to deal with whatever conditions are given to you. You can’t really change the weather, but we’re all going through it together,” said senior girls swim team captain, Kate Schneider.
“I think there’s very few teams and very few kids who would be willing to come do this every day other than us. We not only come do it everyday, but we look forward to doing it, and it’s really become a staple of our team to practice outside," said senior boys swim team captain, Tyler Povinelli.
Ryan Marklewitz took over the high school's swim program, six years ago, and for the past five seasons, he has led the St. Andrew's swim team outside for daily practices. But you’ll never hear these student athletes complain. In fact, they embrace the challenge, and the cold.
“I mean I love this sport, so I don’t mind swimming in the cold, in the rain, in the snow," said junior swimmer, Hannah Portner.
“I think the outdoor element just makes it more fun," added senior swimmer, Liza Matal. Teammate, Parker Leahey agrees and said, "It also makes us tougher."
St. Andrew's is the only high school swim team in the DMV to have its athletes train outside throughout the winter months, using the Montgomery Square Copenhaver Swim Club facilities in Potomac, Maryland.
“This is our culture now. This is what people expect, and I think they take some measure of pride in that, that they are the only winter sport team to train outside, even on a day like this," said St. Andrew's Swimming and Diving Head Coach, Ryan Marklewitz.
With no pool on the school’s campus, the only way to practice consistently, was to do what no one else would.
“We’re the only one that took this step so that we could get five days a week in the water and match our peer schools who do have pools on their campus. So, that’s really allowed us to catapult out program to where it is. Just last week, our girls placed third in the ISL Conference. That hasn’t happened for a co-ed school since 2016," added Marklewitz.
The team will continue to train for a few more weeks as the boys and girls prepare for the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swim Dive League Championships.