Joanne Ho, sophomore at Malden High School, is in her second year swimming for the school after starting as a freshman swimming in lane 2.
However, swimming for her began outside of school at the young age of seven when she joined the Malden Crocs at the YMCA and did swimming lessons. As a child, Ho hated swim, but “once [she] got to know the Crocs team, [she] became comfortable with them and there was no going back.”
Now Ho is passionate about swim and is extremely close to the Malden High School swim team in which they confide in each other regardless of the subject and she describes the team as “an accepting, close knit family.” Ho also states that the team is extremely helpful during meets to have as she admits to her “nerves being very bad.” However, her nerves stay at bay as “the whole team cheers her on” during meets.
Joanne advised those hoping to join to “join the team if you feel that you like the sport and want to do it. Just go for it and don’t let the the team’s ability intimidate you.” Ho also says that “swim is stressful, but practices can be fun, where [they] do aqua aerobics and play swim polo before Christmas break where the upperclassmen go against underclassmen” and that the “swim parties and pasta parties are the greatest and are one of [her] favorite memories.” Among the newcomers, she hopes they bring diversity overall.
Ho also says to not come to tryouts and “expect to be on the team. You have to come to captains practice, work on your own and work hard to be on the team because swim isn’t an easy sport.”
This season Ho hopes to “go to states and more events” as she says she hadn’t gone to many last year other than relays. She also hopes to improve her time in the 100 fly and “get it under a minute” as well as moving up to lane 1 next year. Some of Joanne’s favorite events include the 100 fly and the 50 fly.
Ho is a real talent as her friends exclaim that she is “an amazing swimmer” and is “lane one material,” says Erica Perez, junior at the school. Agatha Silva, who is a sophomore swimmer herself, states that, “ Joanne tries her hardest in every event that she does whether or not she wants to swim the event. She motivates herself and her teammates” and Agatha is “extremely happy to be able to do a sport with such a kind soul.”
Outside of school Joanne participates in other activities such as being a part of the varsity crew team which she will be doing in spring, the Malden Crocs team at the YMCA, and lifeguarding on the weekends. Joanne also takes part in The Red Cross and National Honors Society.
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