The North Star High School swim team travelled to The University of Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough for OFSAA last week.
The relay team competed among 62 final qualifying teams representing all of Ontario in the girls 200 meter freestyle junior relay at the meet, held March 4-5. Entering into OFSAA after qualifying in SWOSSAA, they were seeded at 58. The girls trained hard and it showed as they swam with determination, placing first in their heat and ending their first OFSAA experience seeded at 30 by shaving an incredible nine seconds off their entry time.
The team consists of four members and all were in the girls 200 metre freestyle relay. The team members are Grade 10 students Hannah Wilcox, Brooke MacDonald, Eden Pare and Maiyah Hodges.
In addition, Hannah Wilcox also completed in the individual 50 meter freestyle against 78 girls representing high schools from across Ontario. Hannah placed fourth in her heat and achieved her personal best time by dropping four milliseconds from her qualifying entry time from SWOSSAA.
Entering into OFSAA, Hannah was seeded at 34 and ended the competition at 32 in Ontario.
The girls are thrilled with their achievements and said although the swim season is now over they are planning to continue with training together over the summer to work towards improving their personal best times and representing North Star High School again in OFSAA next year.
Hodges said it was a good experience though admitted it was intimidating with a lot of people there.
“It was a lot of people but it was a lot of fun,” she said.
Hodges added they are happy they represented their school well especially as a small team. Their goal is to get back and improve on their times.
MacDonald said the OFSAA experience went well “and there were different swimmers from everywhere.” She pointed out they improved on their times from previous swims while at OFSAA.
MacDonald was nervous but proud to be there and also said the goal is to make it back to OFSAA.
Pare completed her first year swimming, while Wilcox has been swimming for three years. MacDonald has been swimming since she was in Grade 3 while Hodges has been swimming competitively for two years.\
North Star swimmers do well at OFSAA
Special to the RTT