Splash! In dives Milena Wlodarz, a Glenbard South freshman on the Glenbard Girls Swim Team. As soon as she hits the water, her mind turns laser-focused. Her teammates crowd around her lane, cheering her on as she turns at the wall to complete her final lap. Bam! Colliding with the touchpad, she secures her team’s 6th place finish at the Lyon Township Relay Invitational.

This was one of Milena’s first races on the swim team for the season, but certainly not her last. She raced the 200 freestyle relay with her teammates Harper Ullman (Glenbard West Freshman), Katelyn Rehal (Glenbard West Sophomore) and Molly O’Connell (Glenbard West Sophomore). This was the first race she had earned a spot on the podium, receiving the 6th place medal with her teammates. 

The Glenbard Girls Swim team is a combination of students from both Glenbard South and Glenbard West who enjoy perfecting their technique and building up the stamina that is required to be a competitive team. However, even though the team is split between two schools, it does not mean they are not close friends. 

“I wanted to join the High School team because I heard it’s really fun and you meet new people,” says Milena. “My highlight so far has been getting to know the teammates and becoming good friends with them.” Being apart during the school day does not hold back the swimmers from building relationships during practice or at long meets, such as their most recent one at the Oak Park-River Forest Invite and the Lyons Township Relay Invitational. 

The girls have many more meets lined up for them this season, including the West Suburban Silver Conference Championship on October 10th. To learn more about when you can come and support the team, visit the 2023-2024 Girls Swimming Website at https://schools.snap.app/glenbardsouth.