Before leaving Dominion High School, many students aspire to have a picture of them posted on a large plaque in the infamous “hall of fame.” Whether it be for academics, athletics, or art, students work hard with the hopes to one day leave their legacy on the walls of Dominion.

As a competitive athlete, I am determined to be placed upon this wall to represent the Dominion girls Swim Team, who has advanced the furthest and placed the highest in school history this past season. With an undefeated season, conference championship, regional championship, and 4^th place state title, girls swim has by far outreached the typical goals of the season.

After being successful in the first round of the state competition, prelims, in all four of my events, I advanced in each one to the “finals meet” allowing myself to score points for my team as well as individually. Placing top 8 in the state in three out of the four, and even receiving a 2^nd place, meaning a state runner up, in the 200 free relay. With such hard work and amazing results, one would think a hall of fame plaque was sure to be the reward: wrong.

Unlike football, cross country, track, soccer, and most of the other Dominion sports, swimming does not have “all-state,” “all-region,” or “all-conference” team, therefor the only way to receive a plaque on the wall is to receive a 1^st place at the state meet. 1^st place in the entire state is by far an extremely difficult goal to accomplish. This places the swimmers at a disadvantage and downplays the skill level of our boys and girls swim team, as many other sports are represented multiple times upon the “wall of fame.”

One prime example of this is one of the best swimmers Dominion has had the opportunity to have on their team. Aidan O’Hara, alumni of Dominion High school, is currently swimming at D1 school Loyola University in Maryland. His season thus far has been absolutely phenomenal, breaking his personal records, and bringing in many points for the team as a whole. With multiple 2^nd places finishes at the state meets during his high school career, one would think Aidan’s fantastic swimming career would allow him to leave his legacy on the walls of Dominion: wrong. Aidan left Dominion High School without his face in the hall of fame.

With other Dominion sports, placers at the state competitions from anywhere up to 11^th place have made an appearance on the “wall of fame.” With only ONE swimming plaque upon the wall for Dominion alumni Lauren Ritter, who placed first all four years at the state meet for the 500 freestyle, swimming is not represented well enough. I hope to see another face upon the wall, whether it be mine, or a fellow Dominion swimmer upon the “wall of fame” soon. I think it is a deserved award for how many trophies and titles the team and swimmers have brought back to Dominion High School.