As the 2022-2023 swim season came to an end, one boy’s team swimmer stuck out from the pack, senior captain, Jaden Pospishil. Being on the team since his freshman year, Pospishil made an impact in and out of the water. He broke 22 class records and four school records and built close bonds with his teammates and coaches over the course of his four seasons

“A key aspect of my success was my coaches and teammates,” Pospishil said. “They helped me stay focused in the water and helped me really enjoy going to practice every day.”

Even with the impressive number of records he holds, Pospishil didn’t feel much pressure coming into his last season as a Bulldog.

“I was more focused on working hard every single day and staying focused in and out of the water to control the things that I can control,” Pospishil said. “Staying confident in my abilities was essential to my success this year.”

His achievements didn’t just come from his hard work in practice or his training outside the pool. Boy’s head coach Riley Lebbert has been coaching Pospishil and the other senior boy swimmers since their freshman year. Pospishil may have stuck out from his teammates with his incredibly fast times, but he never strayed away from becoming best friends with his teammates.

“Best part of Jaden is his desire to get better not only for himself but for the team, he has always been a team guy,” Lebbert said. “Even being a top five swimmer in the state Jaden stayed humble and always put the team first while going out and breaking four school records.”

Pospishil plans to attend the University of Missouri next year to continue his academic and swimming career. He had both club and high school swimming to prepare him for his career in the sport, both developing different skills for him to utilize.

“Burke swimming has helped teach me to become more team oriented then focused on personal gains,” Pospishil said. “Being a team player is something I am going to have to use at my time at Mizzou.”

As a big team player, Pospishil has made meaningful connections with his fellow seniors over the course of their 4 years together. One teammate in particular being Tommy Vasquez. The two are well-known for their close bond over the years, even when swimming is done and Vasquez is participating in track during the spring. Pospishil left a strong impact on Vasquez and his view on the sport.

“He was an excellent teammate and swimmer, but still cared so much about helping us to be better swimmers and always had our backs like a brother would,” Vasquez said. “He will be remembered most for his amazing records and the way he brought the team together through brotherhood and family.”

The team ended their season at the NSAA State Swimming Championships on Feb. 25, placing 13^th overall. Pospishil swam in two individual events, breaking school records in both, going a 46.02 in the 100 free and 51.15 in the 100 back. Although it was such a large meet, Pospishil still swam next to familiar faces whether from swimming next to them at meets before or practicing with them for club.

“I have been racing these same guys my entire life,” Pospishil said. “I looked back at an old meet program from when I was ten and saw nearly all of the other names that I am competing with now.”

Burke swimming has left as big of an impact on Pospishil as he did on the program. Swimming almost every day for three months, four years in a row, surrounded by people who became like family is undeniably difficult to let go of.

“These guys on the swim team weren’t just my teammates, they are my best friends and I am extremely blessed to be able to share the pool with them three months of the year,” Pospishil said. “That is why it is very tough to say goodbye to Burke swimming. Because it will be really hard to get in the pool without the chaos and tomfoolery that I have grown to love.”