It’s easy to look at adding a sport to the any high school slate and see the reasons not to.

The economy is not good. The costs are more than would be affordable. The practice times are tough. The facilities…the coaches…on and on.

Hertford County High School Principal Jerry Simmons took all those things into consideration and made the tough, but smart decision to move forward with adding swimming to the roster of available sports for student-athletes at his school.

Athletic Director Charles Simmons was on board from the beginning and did all the leg work necessary to get the Bears onto conference schedules and into a practice facility.

Deana Ross stepped forward to coach the Bears and four student-athletes received an opportunity never afforded before in Hertford County – swimming competitively in high school.

The work of both Jerry Simmons and Charles Simmons should be lauded – as it was in the most recent meeting of the Hertford County Board of Education. Thanks should be extended to Ross and to the staff of the ViQuest Center who allowed the school to practice at their facility.

It’s easy to take a look around and decide why not to do something. Hertford County is blessed that Jerry Simmons instead looked for a reason to do it – his student-athletes – and that decision has paid off.

Well done by all at Hertford County High School.

– The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald