Work hard, play hard. The Sparks Swim and Dive culture strikes the perfect balance between competition and practice. The team was filled with energy and camaraderie, swimming their fastest times of the season.
Sparks Swim and Dive is a co-op team composed of St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA) and Highland Park Senior High School. For their last regular-season meet, they faced their rival, Central High School and fought for the title of Saint Paul City conference champion.
At 7 p.m. on Oct. 9, the girls went head-to-head against Central at Humboldt High School. Both teams had undefeated seasons and were evenly matched. Every race and every swimmer contributed to the team’s overall score. Both teams brought enthusiastic spirits and loud cheering throughout the meet, from the very first step into the humid pool to the last second of the last race, cheers flooded the whole pool, reverberating off the walls. Swimmers, coaches, managers, parents and the rest of the stands had their eyes glued to the pool with each race.
While Central held the 2024 Conference Champion title from the year before, the Sparks still put up a fight through fast time and high energy. During every race, the end of each lane was filled with other swimmers cheering on their teammates. Both teams encouraged each other and high-fived after each race.
In the end, the Sparks weren’t able to overtake Central, making Central the 2025 conference champion. Nonetheless, many swimmers swam faster than they ever had, making it an accomplished night despite the loss.
Looking back on the season, diver Avital Coleman describes the team culture and energy to be her favorite part of the season. She said she was proud of the team’s co-op with Highland because she finds many benefits when meeting new people from another school.
“I think it’s really cool that our team gets to be a co-op and meet people from a different school. I love how we’re just such a close-knit community, even though there are many different grade levels, especially the opportunity to connect with middle schoolers, as swimming is one of the only sports that allow them to be on an upper school team,” Coleman said.
Coleman had a positive attitude throughout the night, excited for her team to go to sections. A highlight of the night, Coleman mentioned, was the energy and spirit their team brought to the meet. “It was like no other,” she said.
Although the team wasn’t able to secure a win, their positive attitude shone through their culture and team bond, making the season a positive experience.
Ninth-grader Parker Frosch, who has been swimming for six years but is new to the Sparks, is very grateful for her experience and the welcoming atmosphere fostered by the Sparks.
“I think the team is just so great and all the traditions are really fun, especially the bus ride today. Everyone is just so nice on the team,” Frosch said.
Overall, the Sparks kept their chin up and concluded the season with six wins and one loss. They kept fun traditions throughout the season along with having built a close dynamic within the team. The Sparks not only work very hard in practice and meets, each trying to swim their fastest time each meet, but they also prioritize their sportsmanship, community and fun, which serves as the backbone of their team.
Captain Devyani Nelson leaves advice for current and future swimmers on the team. “Just stick with it, I know it’s really hard. The practices can also be very hard, but try your best and don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go your way,” she said.
Although their next meet does not determine the conference championship title, it is the last meet the whole team will swim all together before sections. The Sparks have their conference meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at St. Catherine University.
