Photo by Mrs. Sheriff

Photo of Tyler Barris with a swim cap and goggles swimming.

Tyler Barris is a senior at Mission Hills and is a strong advocate for the importance of exercise. He believes it is not only about working out the body, but also about relaxation. He himself has been swimming since he was about 11. In the beginning, he says he only did it as a way to please his parents. However, the more he did it, the more he grew to like it.
“I started to enjoy it after I started creating bonds with the people on my team and when I became fond of the natural competitiveness that the sport brought,” said Barris.
He has been on the Mission Hills swim and dive team all three years he has attended MHHS and plans on joining the team again this spring.
“You are constantly getting that adrenaline rush and hearing the shouts from your teammates cheering you on. Everyone on the team is always supporting each other and having a blast,” said Barris.
He also mentions that Coach Baratte is an incredible teacher and is great at organizing team bonding events, which makes the team feel more like a family.
Tyler not only swims, but has also taken up water polo. Lots of his friends from the swim and dive said that they were joining the team, so he thought it would be fun. You need a lot of the same skills for swimming as for water polo, therefore, he hopes he will progress with ease into the sport. He is currently on the varsity team, and this is only his second year playing it.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but it all pays off to be playing such a fun sport with my friends,” Barris said.
Tyler will continue to put in the effort and work hard in all he does in the future.