Prep School Directory: A Home Away From Home

PHOENIX, Arizona, November 2. IN October's issue of Swimming World Magazine, Carlos Barroso of the Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Fla., wrote about the prep school environment.

Following is Barroso's complete article. For more information on prep schools throughout the nation, check out our Prep School Directory.

Swimmers often set lofty goals during their high school careers…goals such as:
• Qualifying for the U.S. Olympic swimming team;
• Crushing an All-America time in the 50 yard freestyle;
• Swimming on the medley relay at an NCAA collegiate-level program.

For many of these swimmers, a boarding preparatory school may be the best answer to help them achieve these kinds of goals.

Sid Cassidy, newly appointed head coach and aquatic director at Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Fla., believes there are three important elements that separate the great prep school swimmers from all the rest:

"First, a positive mindset that says ‘yes' to success;

"Second, the heart to train and get their bodies into great shape; and

"Third, a burning desire to succeed.

"If you have those three elements implemented into your swimming regimen, you will have what it takes to become a true champion."

THE PREP SCHOOL DIFFERENCE
So, how do boarding prep swimmers become true champions? It starts with many an early morning, and workouts that begin around 5:30 a.m.

You leave the comfort of your residence hall and make your way to the 50 meter pool across campus for swim practice. Your coach is there to lead you and your teammates in a challenging workout. For most of the year, you are practicing six days a week with Sundays off.

Practice not only consists of pool time, in which you perfect your strokes and work on proper technique, but it also includes time in the campus fitness center for dryland workouts. Strength, cardio and core conditioning remain important elements of a training regimen for swimming.

After practice, you have time to take a quick shower and grab a great breakfast in the campus dining hall. Then it's off to class!

FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT
Boarding schools are well known for offering rigorous college preparatory programs. These programs usually feature small class sizes that permit faculty and academic advisers to focus on each individual student. Many times, these faculty also serve as a student's extended family—they all live and learn as part of a 24/7 on-campus community.

Boarding students are valued members of their school by participating in dorm life and in an array of clubs and athletic teams. There is also plenty of time for students to develop leadership skills, discover classmates with similar interests, gather for social events and enjoy down-time with each other.

"Boarding schools today are much different than they used to be—and poles apart from stereotypical Hollywood images, such as a haven for children of privilege or a refuge for troubled teens," said Steve Ruzicka, executive director of The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS).

"New research proves that contemporary boarding schools serve a diverse body of motivated and well-rounded students who study and live in supportive, inclusive academic communities," he added. "They learn about independence and responsibility—traditional values that help them achieve success at higher rates than private day and public school students—in the classroom and beyond."

Swimmers tend to blossom at boarding preparatory schools because often for the first time in their lives, an abundance of resources is concentrated in one central location, to be used solely for the purpose of making them better swimmers. Residence halls, swimming pools, fitness centers, dining halls and the coach's office are all just around the corner.

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