Swim and Dive Team Wins Inaugural DCSAA Championships

In late February, the NCS swim and dive team competed in the first-ever District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Swim and Dive Championships. The team, the largest in NCS history, won by nearly 150 points. After missing the 2021 season due to COVID-19, this victory was particularly meaningful for the students and coaches.

Head swim coach Richard Bettencourt is proud of this year’s team, especially the senior members. “They will certainly be remembered as a team for bringing home the inaugural DCSAA Swimming and Diving Championship and the first swim and dive banner of any kind at NCS, but I am most proud of this team, and senior class, for how they persevered through this season,” says Bettencourt. “We missed an entire season. We missed out on building on what was left by the last team to have a season. It did not take long for this group to gel, move past the lost COVID-19 season, and make new memories.

Senior swimmers share Bettencourt’s enthusiasm. “We went into the meet hopeful and confident in our lineup, but I don’t think any of us, coaches included, were prepared for the landslide victory that was pushed to the end by both our strong individual and relay finishes,” says Sabina Perry ’22. “Our excitement and shock were conveyed through our laughs of amazement when the organizers announced the final score and winners.

“I am so glad we were able to end our six-year NCS swimming careers with a win,” says Sonia Walke ’22.

Head dive coach Caroline King is proud of the NCS divers’ commitment to the sport. “The dedication and persistence [of divers Kendall Pade ‘22 and Georgie Williams ‘22] were outstanding as they learned many new dives in a limited amount of time this season,” says King, who is also a Middle School science teacher at NCS.  

Williams says, “This championship win has highlighted how resilient our swimmers and divers have remained over a tough couple of years, and it has made me so excited to see what the NCS swim and dive teams accomplish in the seasons to come. I also hope this result has encouraged some new divers to try out the sport next year!”

“It was the perfect ending to our high school diving careers,” says Pade. “It was so cool to be part of something larger than myself, especially something so tight-knit as the Close swim and dive team.”

Congratulations to the swim and dive team!

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    • Team members gather around the championship banner.