It is impossible to get the students to "Be there" when the principal continually refused to allow that to happen.
- Coach Mark Rauterkus concerning PPS Obama's Principal Colbert
PPS Students at Obama and Sci Tech were familiar with early morning swim practices
Swim teams that are successful, generally have morning swim practices. We had morning practices at PPS Obama Academy and made this fun video that was for a campaign run by the United Way about "Being There!" The message was, show up for school.
Before there was Obama, the swimmers at Frick Middle School had morning swim practices too.
The swimmers at Allderdice, under the guidance of Coach Al Rose of the JCC Sailfish, hold early morning swim practices before school too. That's why the Allderdice swimmers can make it to the WPIAL Championships.
All morning swim practices at Obama Academy ended after Principal Colbert was hired. She killed them.
The swim team was not allowed to hold AM Swim Practices in the 2017-18 school year, the first year of Ms. Colbert at the Obama Principal. She would not sign the permit as had been the case for the past 10+ years or so.
The writing was on the wall and not showing up on the pool permit requests.
Could not get a permit for holiday practices at Obama, until the good folks at central administration stepped in.
Sci-Tech Swimmers had AM Practices throughout the season
The Sci-Tech swimmers were mostly present and swam on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout, but the Monday, Wednesday and Friday practices for the Obama students didn't happen.
The Sci-Tech swimmers are part of a sports co-op so those students are part of the Obama Varsity Teams.
Of course, both boys and girls got to attend these AM swimming practices that were offered by the boys varsity coach. Furthermore, some times the middle school students could be included in with the morning practices as well, when permitted. Go figure.
The 2019 update, a new contest from a new school:
The United Way's campaign to "be there" got a new set of rules and a new launch in 2019. The video below is from The Ellis School's middle school swim team.