While many seniors are nervous or anxious about their transition to college and starting a new chapter, there is one senior in particular who is very excited for the change she is about to experience. Senior Sydney Hutchinson will be continuing her academic and athletic career at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario, Canada next fall.

Hutchinson will be studying elementary education, and play for the woman’s water polo team. When Hutchinson gets asked, why Canada? The answer is always the same; it’s my second home. Since her dad is a Canadian citizen, the family has spent many summers vacationing in Canada, and as a result Hutchinson has recently gotten dual citizenship. Not only has her love for Canada grown over the years, but also her love for water polo, and that is why she has chosen to continue playing ,and return to Canada for college.

The countless hours of morning, and afternoon practices in the pool, along with trips to the weight room have played a large role in Hutchinson’s skill level, and strategy in the pool. She spends time growing her strength and endurance by also participating on the Girls Swim and Dive Team.

“Water polo is a unique sports because it consist of so many different skills,” Hutchinson said. “I love being in the water and doing more than just swimming.”

Her hard work and dedication to the York Water Polo Team definitely hasn’t gone unnoticed. She works hard on and off the season with hopes to improve in all aspects of the game. Her presence on the team is more than just game play in the water, she brings in laughter, joy, and fun to the team.

“Throughout the four years I have coached Syd I have seen improvements both in and out of the water. In the water Syd is a beast; she can shoot from anywhere in the pool, she’s a lock-down defender, and she is always hyping the rest of the team up during timeouts,” Girls Varsity Water Polo head coach Daniel Giuliani said. “Out of the water Syd is a great leader; she puts in the time during the summer and off-season, she communicates well with her coaches and teammates, and she is very organized and gets the team together for social gatherings.”

Hutchinson is thankful for the unconditional love and support she has received from family, teammates, and coaches over the years. Without them she would not have been able to succeed in, and out of the water.

“I am so thankful for my parent, coaches, and teammates for always pushing me to be best version of myself,” Hutchinson said. “I definitely would not be where I am today without them.”

As Hutchinson heads off to college in the fall she reflects on her years here at York, in the pool, and in the classroom. She is sad her time here is coming to an end, but excited to start her new academic and athletic career at Queen’s University.

“I’m going to miss the bus rides, campfires, and movie nights with my teammates. It is going to be weird transitioning onto a whole new team and not playing alongside the girls I started with,” Hutchinson said.