This past fall, students at the high school may have seen several girls dressed up as Adam Sandler, adorned in baggy t-shirts, gym shorts, and backward hats, or decked out in all black including eye black. These are not new styles trending among teenagers. It’s one of the ways that the Girl’s Swim and Dive team is demonstrating team spirit.
“Spirit Day is an important tradition because not only does it keep up the team morale during the day prior to the meet, but it also serves as a reminder that these meets are supposed to be fun and exciting to participate in,” said Melinda Chiu ’26.
This swim season there were nine theme days: Pajama Day, Twin Day, Adam Sandler, Black Out, Pink Out, Raiders, Denim, and Red Out. Besides the spirit week staples Black Out and Red Out, everyone on the team was involved in themes chosen this year.
“One of the spirit days this year was Adam Sandler, and normally, I would be really self-conscious and embarrassed to dress like that on my own, but going all out on spirit with all these amazing swimmers and divers showcases the fact that we are one team and everyone has got your back,” said Elaine Cheng ’26. “We are proud of being a part of Swive Hive [a nickname the girls coined for the team] and not afraid to show it.”
During Black Out, the girls dress in all black for their meet against Milton High School. Red Out, where the girls dress in all red, is the biggest spirit day as it falls before their meet against Needham, one of their biggest competitors.
“Red Out is one of the favorite themes,” said Sophie Kwan ’25. “It’s a little silly, but it really brings the team together to take pictures and have fun.”
The spirit week is organized solely by the team without any coach input.
“I do my best to support and encourage the girls to take leadership and own these aspects of the team. They do an amazing job and it really makes my life so much easier knowing that the team culture and traditions are driven by the team members themselves,” said Girls’ Swim coach Doug Curtin.
Outside of spirit week, another big tradition is the team’s annual trip to Provincetown, where they participate in the Provincetown Swim for Life. Swim for Life is a fundraising event that raises money for health care around the Cape, specifically for terminal illnesses such as AIDS and breast cancer. Although two courses were available, a half-mile course and a 1.2-mile course, this year the entire team swam the 1.2-mile along the East End shoreline.
“The swim is just purely for team bonding and charity. It’s a good initial team bonding experience to get to know new people on the team and get familiar with people that you maybe haven’t talked to,” said Kwan.
The team’s participation isn’t only important for building relationships between teammates, but also for establishing connections with the charity.
“Each year, the event organizer drives over two hours to Wellesley just so that he can thank the girls and be a part of our end-of-season banquet which shows just how meaningful it is that our girls participate in the event each year,” said Curtin.
The team ensures that they keep the team spirit tradition alive by encouraging the community aspect of the sport and keeping traditions easy for everyone on the team to participate in.
“[Team spirit] is something that we pass down every year. When I was a freshman, I remember the seniors saying, ‘Always cheer for each other, and sometimes for the other team if they need support,’” said Kwan. “That’s something that really makes a team. It isn’t just winning, but also uplifting each other.”