Water Polo

AQUA KNIGHTS

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

The Swimming & Diving and Water Polo teams – known as the Aqua Knights – are the most decorated athletic programs in St. Francis de Sales School history.

The first Aqua Knight, Chet “The Jet” Jastremski ‘59, graduated in the first four-year class at St. Francis, well before SFS built a pool. He later smashed two world records in breaststroke as an Indiana University sophomore. In January 1962, Sports Illustrated named him the “World’s Best Swimmer.” In 1964, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, he won a bronze medal in the 200 meter breaststroke representing the U.S.

Bolstered by Jastremski’s success and inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s physical fitness initiative, Rev. George Shugrue, O.S.F.S., principal, sought to establish a formal swimming program at SFS. He called it “Operation Splash,” and the first varsity swimming team kicked off in January 1965 with impressive success.

Nearly 60 swimmers tried out for that first team, and four were selected to represent the Knights at the National Catholic Swim Championship at Villanova University. They competed against more than 500 swimmers from 41 schools and finished third. They returned to Northwest Ohio and won the district championship – the first of 42 consecutive district titles, a national record streak that continued until 2007.

After just three years with a team, the Aqua Knights won the 1967 state championship, beating defending Akron Firestone 171-149. The team repeated with another state title in 1968. That year, St. Francis announced it would soon build its own swimming pool, replacing the need for team practices at The Toledo Club and the YWCA.

In 1969, St. Francis manned its first Water Polo team. Success came early, with St. Francis beating Michigan state champs Ann Arbor Pioneer 14-9 and securing a double overtime victory over Lima. The team placed second in state. The program brought home its first state title in 1973, opening the floodgates for success.

Swimming State Championship Titles
1967, 1968, 1996, 1998

Swimming State Runners-Up
1973, 1974, 1979, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2014

Water Polo State Championship Titles
1973, 1974, 1975, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2023

Water Polo State Runners-Up
1969, 1979, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2021, 2022