For the 2017 swim season, the team has picked up junior foreign exchange student Julia Haas for her first competitive season since her sixth grade year. Haas returned to swimming because it was something she already knew how to do and has been doing since she was at a very young age.

“The first practice was really hard,” Haas said. “But once you make it past the first week you’re on the team.”

Haas started swimming when she was 3 years old and competed through her sixth grade year. This year along with the rest of the team, she has grown stronger as a swimmer and has worked to place third in the 100 butterfly at one of her meets and dropping seconds on some of her other events.

“She’s a really nice person and she’s really motivated,” Haas’ teammate Erin Stock said. “She’s improved so much over the season and is a positive influence on the team.”

Some of the changes that Haas has faced with the switch from German to American pools is that American pools are shorter and measured in yards, Haas now competes against swimmers from other schools instead of various select teams and she can swim in more events that the coach puts her in.

“It’s just so much fun,” Haas said. “Seeing the results of the practices is the big thing. I made so many friends.”