SAN FRANCISCO – This year, the St. George’s swim team had its first annual swimming tour to San Francisco. Two teachers and thirteen members of the swim team, mostly provincial team members, participated in the trip. Leaving on October 5th the team caught a very early plane at 4:00 am, and they returned to Vancouver on October 8th.

While in San Francisco the team visited famous landmarks, toured universities and also attended a local swim meet. Arriving in San Francisco on October 5th, the team headed over to Palo Alto and toured Stanford University with Saints Alumni Edward Ngai. The next day, the swim team competed in a meet hosted by St. Ignatius College Preparatory. The swimmers won many individual events as well as relays. The team finished first with the most points overall. The following day the swimmers went sightseeing to many tourist spots such as Alcatraz and the San Francisco piers. That evening the team enjoyed a delicious and rejuvenating meal on the pier before returning back to Vancouver the next day.

The trip was a great experience for the swimmers to be exposed to college-level training and was also a helpful team bonding event. Every evening upon heading back to the hotel team-building activities were held. After the trip the swimmers felt that they were more closely connected with each other and the team. The swim coaches were also extremely pleased with the trip. “I thought it was great [for our swimmers] to gain international experience,” said Mr. Dustin Hersee, Saints’ swim coach. “Also, touring Stanford exposed the swimmers to its high-level swim program and university life.”

“It was a very fun trip,” said Brandon Tsang, a provincial team member that attended the tour. “We goofed around a lot, and we bonded as a team.”

The Saints swim team has been very successful the past three years. Now, with renewed confidence, the swim team is ready to compete at the upcoming Regionals High Schools Meet and BC High Schools Swimming Provincials.