School bells have started ringing, signaling the start of a new school year. While those chimes mean that classes and quizzes are beginning, the bells also usher in a new season for Falcon sports.

The fall season in the past has consisted of just three sports: football, volleyball and cross country. This year, however, thanks largely to one Fountain Hills High School student, swim will be added as the fourth sport.

The topic of a Fountain Hills High School swim team was first brought to the district’s attention in March, when then junior Deven Meyers pitched the idea to the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board.

The board was impressed with Meyers for seeing an issue in the district and doing something about it rather than waiting for someone else to do so.

“I just want to say kudos to you (Meyers) for seeing a problem and being part of the solution,” board member Dr. Wendy Barnard said.

In their next meeting the school board approved the swim team.

For her presentation to the board Meyer’s had to do her fair share of legwork, like surveying the entire school and finding a potential practice spot. But, originally, the whole thing was an offhand comment to Principal Cain Jagodzinski that set events into motion.

“Honestly, we had the conversation just at an honor roll assembly and it was kind of a joke,” Meyers said. “I was just talking with a couple of friends saying why don’t we have a swim team, you know, we’re like the only school that doesn’t and then Mr. J. walked by. He started talking to us, asking us how it was going and we were like, ‘So, how about a swim team?’ He just said, ‘Okay if can get it going, I’ll support you.’”

After that conversation Meyer’s took Principal Jagodzinski’schallenge to heart and started setting up a meeting between former Assistant Principal James Carrick and the director of the Peaks Athletic Club, Corrina Suozzi.

“I work at Peak Fitness over the summers, teaching swim,” Meyers said. “So I know Corrina, the director. I set up a meeting with her and Mr. Carrick to figure out if, logistically, it was even feasible. Then after surveying all the English classes I went to the board and did the proposal.”

The next step after the board approved the creation of the team was hiring a coach. Fountain Hills Middle School P.E. teacher, Patti Schultz, had already expressed interest in the position.

“I was first approached by past Athletic Director, Amanda Baca, to see if there was a swim team, would I be interested in coaching,” Schultz explained. “Coaches are often hard to come by in a small district and many teachers in our district don't just work at the high school. I think she wanted to make sure that she would have at least an applicant to apply. Last April a job posting was put out on the FHUSD website and I knew that I had to support the efforts of Deven and the school to make this team become a reality.”

Schultz is a life-long swimmer who started at the age of five. She swam competitively either on club or school teams from elementary school to college.

After receiving her undergraduate in Recreation Administration, Schultz worked as an Aquatic director for 10 years. When she moved to Fountain Hills Schultz continued to teach swimming lessons and taught a five year old Deven Meyers how to swim.

Schultz believes that this whole process of creating the swim team shows the determination of Fountain Hills students like Deven.

“The FHUSD students are very motivated to make change and help others,” Schultz said. “It is apparent in the fact that our district is listening and continuing to do what is good for students. We currently have and have had many students who have led the way in this change over the years.”

So far the swim team has attracted over 40 interested students.

“Honestly, if we run into a problem it is going to be that we have too many people,” Meyers joked. “We have a four-lane lap pool so space might be tight. When I passed the survey out last year we had 22 ‘definitely’ and then at Falcon fest we got 23 more names.”

The FHHS swim team will begin practicing on Monday, Aug. 20, at Peaks Athletic Club.