In just a few short weeks, the 2012-2013 school year will be underway at Old Rochester Regional High School and the brand new varsity co-ed swim team will kick off its inaugural season. For the first time in 50 years, the school will have its own swim squad, and the parents and swimmers are looking forward to making history.
At the end of June, the Old Rochester Regional School Committee gave the green light for the school’s first varsity co-ed swim team at its final meeting of the year. For years, many swimmers left ORRHS to attend Bishop Stang High School because they were the only local school with a swim program. But now, swimmers in the Tri-Town will have a chance to represent the Bulldogs in the pool.
“For the swimmers that stayed here at ORR we wondered why not start a grassroots swim program?” said Friends of Old Rochester Swimming Secretary Chrissi Gelson.
Parents of interested swimmers approached ORRHS Principal Mike Devoll and Athletic Director Bill Tilden with a proposal after researching how much it would cost for coaching, travel and other expenses. The team was approved under the condition that the parents would provide the funding for the group for the first two or three years of its existence. After the third year, the school will take over the funding.
The team has until October 1 to raise $7,500 and they have been busy fundraising all summer long. So far, they have held two car washes, collected donations at Harbor Days, sold ORR Pandora beads and recyclable bags and sent out a mass mailing list to collect donations from local residents and businesses. The response, Gelson said, has been terrific.
“I am so overwhelmed with the amount of support we have received from everybody,” she said.
Despite the generosity of the community, the swim team still has money to raise. During the month of August, they will hold two special fundraising events. On Wednesday, August 22, the team will hold a silent auction at the Inn at Shipyard Park from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The auction will be open to 80 guests and tickets are $25 to attend. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available.
On Saturday, August 25, the team will hold a Swim-A-Thon from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the Gleason Family YMCA in Mattapoisett. Participants may swim as individuals or relay teams, and pledges can be made as lump sums or per lap.
So far the team has enlisted nearly 20 swimmers and is hoping to draw even more interest once school starts. Gelson’s daughter, Cate Feldkamp, is among the swimmers already committed to the squad and committed to a sport she loves.
“Swimming does tremendous things for her self-esteem,” said Gelson. “It’s also good for health and fitness. It’s so important for them to be able to see the results of their hard work and how far they’ve come from the beginning of the season.”
For more information on upcoming ORRHS Swimming fundraising events or to make a donation, contact orrbulldogsswimming@gmail.com.
By Katy Fitzpatrick