CHANGE: Head coach and Physics teacher Mr. Mark Colwell finishes his last year at Poly.
By Kayla Iles, Staff Writer
This year, change is in the air not only in the classroom but also on the pool deck. Physics teacher and head coach of boys’ swim Mr. Mark Colwell is finishing his last year at Poly. Next year, he will be working in an administrative position for the Riverside Virtual School (RVS). RVS is still a part of Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) but has students enrolled in full-time online interactive classes. He has been teaching both regular and AP physics courses and coaching water polo and swim for a total of 19 years at Poly. In response to his departure, physics student Madeline Navigato (11) states, “There will never be a physics teacher as entertaining as Colwell.”
Colwell began teaching and coaching in 1996 and has since become a respected teacher on campus. When he took over Poly’s swim program, there was “already an excellent team,” Colwell said, “so I’ve just helped maintain and continue that.” He wishes to coach swim again, but it seems that working at RVS leaves him no time to do so. His plan is to possibly “coach and help out with the club team at RAA (Riverside Area Aquatics) and to still be involved in coaching in that perspective, “ Colwell stated.
It is hard to believe that a coach and teacher who has taught students for so long is moving out of the classroom and off the deck. Colwell expressed, “It hasn’t really hit me yet that I am stopping coaching at Poly; it’ll be a big change to not have that be apart of what I do.” Although Poly swimmers will miss their coach, they wish Colwell the best as he embarks on a new journey with a new school.