Spring Break in Romania

As they prepare to compete for their fourth straight Texas State Championship, the varsity water polo team is spending Spring Break in Bucharest, Romania, the childhood home of St. Mark’s Varsity Water Polo and Swim Coach Mihai Oprea. For three hours each morning, the team trains in some of the same pools that Coach Oprea grew up training in. After some rest and sightseeing, the Marksmen dive back into the pool for evening matches against some of the local teams. The boys also observed and learned from the Romanian national water polo team, whose coach is a friend of Coach Oprea. During the day, the students and their chaperones take in the sights and sounds of Romania and its culture, including a visit to the Snagov Monastery, the supposed resting place of Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula. Students were also invited to meet with the Mayor of Bucharest.

Accompanying the team, St. Mark’s Athletic Director Mark Sullivan noted that while athletic improvement was a key reason for the trip, the experiences both in and out of the pool are bringing the boys closer together as a team.

“The team’s training schedule is grueling and the local teams have been tremendous. You can really see the pride that the boys have for St. Mark’s, and the manner in which they have represented themselves has been nothing less than exceptional,” Mark said. “There is no doubt the boys will be stronger players, stronger teammates, and stronger individuals when they return to school.”
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    • The team visits Snagov Monastery

    • The team visits a salt mine in Slanic

St. Mark’s School of Texas

10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000

About Us

St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.

St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.