An American in Hillsdale /Joel Swain spending senior year as a Falcon after growing up in Czech Republic

Andrew Waldman Published:

By ANDREW WALDMAN T-G Staff Writer Jeromesville and Prague, Czech Republic, are 4,398 miles apart. Theyre also separated by a continent, an ocean and the language barrier. But for Hillsdale High School senior Joel Swain, both are close enough to call home. Swain was born in the United States but moved with his family to Prague when he was 4. He was educated in the Czech Republic at public schools and later at a private, international school. This school year, he left his parents Czech home and came to the United States to finish his senior year. His parents are missionaries affiliated with Grace Brethren Church of Ashland. They were called to Prague in 1993 and their family, including Swain and his brothers, Dan and David, moved with them. The Swains have a lot of family from the area and Swains father, George, graduated from Hillsdale in 1977. The family wanted Joel to go to an American school to make his transition into the American educational system easier. Hillsdale was a logical choice. We wanted the transition to be as easy as possible for him and us, said George Swain. Swain also wanted to get the American high school experience. And he wanted the chance to play football in the United States. He had played on a Czech club team in Prague. In Prague, his youth team was in the same club as the adult team that won the Czech Bowl, the equivalent of the Super Bowl in Czech football. The Czech Bowl attracts fewer than 5,000 fans, compared to the tens of thousands who watch every NFL game. Football (in the United States) is a lot different, he said. In (the Czech Republic), its not a big deal. Only about 200 people come to games there. Here, you get 2,000, even at a Division IV school like Hillsdale. His Czech team, called the Prague Lions, wasnt affiliated with the school he attended. Instead, it was a club team with a lot less structure. For the Lions, he played mostly defense and picked up three or four tackles per game. Here, hes a better offensive player. Football isnt the only reason Swain came to the United States. Hes also enjoyed the social atmosphere of the school. School dances and other social activities werent part of Riverside High School, the international school he attended in Prague. The cool thing about coming here is Im doing all the things Ive always heard about American schools, he said. In Prague, school is something you do, dont like and go home. Theres no school pride. As an English speaker, Swain had no trouble making the switch to Hillsdale. The transition wasnt so big, but I can put up with a lot as far as culture is concerned, he said. Still, there have been some parts of Ohio that have been slightly challenging for Swain. Prague, a city of about 1.3 million residents, dwarfs Jeromesville. He never had to drive a car until he came to the United States. Without the easy access to public transportation, Swain had to take his driving test so he could get from home to school and his after-school job. I failed the driving test the first time, said Swain with a chuckle. I ran a stop sign. I found out you cant do that. He hasnt had trouble making friends with his classmates and teammates. Its easy to be yourself here, he said Its a bit more accepting than in Prague. Scholastically, Swain also hasnt had trouble as his Hillsdale schoolwork is easier than his work at Riverside. He said there is heavy emphasis on the sciences and mathematics in the Czech Republic. He once studied for 30 hours the week before a physics exam only to score lower than he expected. There is less homework here, he said. For Hillsdale, Swain has brought a new element to the student body. He provides a perspective on Eastern Europe we dont normally have, said principal Kevin Reidy. Weve been very pleased with Joel. Hes a good addition to our school. Swain also is involved with worship activities at GBC in Ashland. He works three days after school mowing lawns and keeping up his grandfathers property. Hes working on a highlights tape of himself to send to colleges and universities. He hopes to play football and major in athletic training. Hes already thought about attending Ashland University, Ohio University or Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. Hes wants to return to Prague at some point after college. I might think about being a translator, he said. n Contact Andrew Waldman at 419-281-0581, ext. 243, or by e-mail at

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