Story written by Layla Jacobs, student-contributor for The Bell Tower Magazine.

It is 4:30 in the morning and pitch black outside. Thick frost covers the windshields of cars. While most students are sleeping under warm covers without a thought of waking up, Reese McCardle is en route to a cold pool and preparing for a grueling 5,000-meter swimming workout. She will finish her training and be back home before most teenagers wake up.

Reese is a passionate swimmer who is always ready to dive into the fast lane and push herself to her limits. As a fourteen-year-old sophomore, Reese has applied the same passion and energy that motivates her to wake up at 4:30AM for workouts to help start Miller School’s first competitive swim team. Along with her teammates Lillian Amos, Jiaze Cheng, Dietrich Larson, Kelley Kathleen, Lilan Kolbrener, Maximus Rojas, Reut Shahar, Lucy Strandquist, and Jackson Skipper, Reese has helped create a new athletic opportunity for MSA students.

While the MSA swim team is in its infancy, Reese’s own swimming history began when she was 7 years old. Reese remarked: “What really got me into swimming was probably that my mom made me do it when I was little and I just really loved it.” She is now able to share her passion with her classmates. When asked about the challenges of swimming, she commented: “It really takes a lot out of you because you have to use every muscle, so it’s not just one thing you have to focus on at a time.” Reese starts each morning workout at 5:00 AM with her club team–Battlefield Area Star Swimmers. Then she’s off to school at 8:00 AM and ready to finish the day off at practice at 3:45 PM with the MSA swim team or the cycling team depending on the season. Not only is she a standout swimmer, qualifying for state championships in multiple events, Reese also participates in mountain biking in the spring and fall seasons as well as running in the summer. This past fall, Reese was the Virginia Interscholastic Cycling League JV Girls mountain bike champion. She combines her athletic abilities in the summer when she competes in the local CalTri Triathlons.  

While Reese’s determination was the spark that started the team, she had help from Athletic Director James Braxton, who is always eager to provide new opportunities for students to pursue their passions in sports. Once Mr. Braxton approved the team, Reese reached out to University of Virginia varsity swimmer Athena Vanyo to see if she would coach the new team. Working together, Vanyo, Reese, and Braxton built a team that has added meaningfully to the MSA athletic department. 

The success of the team can be partly attributed to Vanyo’s coaching philosophy. Vanyo remarked: “Creating a positive and supportive environment for the swimmers, where they can thrive and reach their full potential is the top priority.” The evidence is clear that Vanyo does just that with most of the team repeatedly dropping time, beating personal records, and improving in skill, technique, and performance in the lanes. Vanyo thinks a factor to her success in coaching lies with her ability to connect and relate to her team on a personal level. Vanyo continued: “Our program provides a positive and supportive team culture, where the swimmers feel valued, respected, and encouraged to work together”. 

Creating a culture like this on a new team is a collaborative effort. Coach Vanyo praised the entire team for their enthusiasm and desire to work hard in practice and to improve daily. In particular, Vanyo commented that Reese is a strong leader and competitor: “Reese is an exceptional athlete and is a joy to coach. Don’t let her quiet character fool you–she’s a beast in the water. Reese consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic, determination, positive attitude, and inspires others on the team to do their best. She is an asset to the team, and has been our highest scorer this year, qualifying for States in a multitude of events. It is a privilege to coach Reese, and I am continually impressed by her dedication and commitment to the sport.” 

The swim team has found success in its inaugural season due to the leadership, talent, and dedication of student-athletes on the team as well as the leadership of Coach Vanyo and Reese McCardle. Their dedication to MSA and the sport highlights our school’s mission to engage the minds, hands, and hearts of students and shows that student-initiated and student-led programs can make a big splash on the Hill.