SPIRE’s swimming program crushed it this season, setting 3 national records and clinching 15 individual event victories at key meets. As the season wrapped, we chatted with Director of Aquatics Thad Schultz and Assistant Swim Coach Molly McCulloch to see just what makes them so successful.

Standout swimmer Erkhes Enkhtur, a rising star from Mongolia, set three Mongolian National records at the Asian Junior National meet and also earned a 3rd place finish in the 50m Backstroke. He recently told us, “One of the things I learned by going to SPIRE is that teamwork is fundamental to success, a great career and being a high-level athlete.”

Ryan Ait Mamar achieved his personal best times at the Canadian Jr. Nationals and clinched a solid 3rd place finish in the 100m Butterfly event. His dedication and drive inspire and motivate his teammates.

The team recently traveled to DC to compete in the Black History Month Meet where:

• Mia Corrado, a standout swimmer from Chapel Hill, NC claimed victory in the 400m IM, 200m IM, 100m Back, 200m Back and 100m Fly. 
• Arsenii Nikitin secured 1st place in the 200m IM, 2nd in the 100m Breast and 200m Breast and 3rd in the 100m Back. 
• Tori Pearson’s strong swimming earned her 2nd place in the 100m Back and 3rd in the 200m Back. 
• Clara Peris Diaz-Varela’s earned her a 2nd place finish in the 500m Free. 
• Morgan Wagner’s victory in the 200m Free added to SPIRE’s overwhelming success.

In DC, SPIRE also excelled in the 15 & Older Girls’ 200m & 400m Medley Relays and 200m & 400m Free Relays. The Boys’ team won the 200m & 400m Free Relays and the 200m Medley Relay.

Looking back over the season, Coach McCulloch recently shared, “The team really stepped up their game and had each other’s backs. We worked hard and had a lot of fun.” 

Director of Aquatics Schultz, who has trained 25 Olympians, emphasized the importance of addressing personal challenges and doubts, saying, “We’ve been focusing on helping each other through tough times and building resilience. In life, we’ve all had struggles and doubts and we’re working on skills to battle that while also supporting each other through tough times.” 

In addition to training and competitions, camps are also a significant aspect of the Swimming program at SPIRE. Schultz shared, “We offer a great product in our swim camps. We have specific goals for each one and we stick to our mantra of having fun and learning something new every day.” McCulloch added, “A lot of our swim campers return year after year because we engage with them at a whole new level, encouraging them to ask questions and learn. They are busy all day, every day, making friends and engaging in various activities. We cover everything we do at the academy, and the campers love knowing they are following in the footsteps of our elite swimmers.” The camps help nurture young athletes for lifelong learning and success, no matter where they end up once they return home. They also help provide prospective student athletes with an opportunity to experience SPIRE as they would if fully enrolled.

As the school year begins to wind down, members of the swimming program are excited to be looking ahead. With a talented group of returners and promising newcomers who will be joining the team, the future promises to be bright for these dedicated athletes.