Swimming, Volleyball
Favorite athlete: Jason Lezak
Favorite team: USA Men’s National Volleyball Team
Favorite memory competing in sports: Wissahickon Boys Swim winning the Liberty Division League Meet (2026)
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Miscounting the number of laps in a 200 free race when I was 10 years old, finishing after 6 laps of the pool instead of 8 laps.
Music on Playlist: Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”
Future plans: To attend Brown University, where I will compete on their varsity men’s swim and dive team and study applied mathematics and economics.
Words to live by: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
One goal before turning 30: Have a greater understanding of AI and how it impacts my community and the world
One thing people don’t know about me: I had to be rescued by a lifeguard when I was 2 years old after I followed my older sister into the swimming pool without knowing how to swim. The next day, I was put into swim lessons.
By GORDON GLANTZ
After almost drowning as a toddler and having to be saved as a lifeguard, Reed Harris was immediately enrolled in swim lessons.
“My older sister (Serena) is two years older than me,” said Harris, who has no direct recollections of the incident, other than family folklore. “I used to follow her around everywhere. She went into the pool, so I decided that I wanted to go into the pool. I went into the pool, and the lifeguard had to save me.”
By grade school, Harris was doing some casual competitive swimming, but he really didn’t take the sport seriously until high school at Wissahickon.
After making incremental improvements each year, the Brown University-bound senior recently returned from the state meet at Bucknell with two gold medals – in the 200 and 500 freestyle -- while being named the meet’s top swimmer.
It’s been quite a journey for Harris.
After making districts as a freshman, Harris first appeared on the state stage as a sophomore in 2024. That year, he finished 26th in the 50 freestyle and 10th in the 500 freestyle. In 2025, as a junior, he finished 4th in the 200 freestyle, 6th in the 500 freestyle and 20th as part of the 400 freestyle relay.
“It was an absolute blast to see Reed make it to his fullest potential this year,” said swimming coach Jonathan Faikish. “Reed has had steady success through his high school career. Seeing him now end his high school career with two first place finishes in those events, is nothing short of remarkable.
“Reed has had continuous progression since starting high school swimming. He made districts in his freshman year, but unfortunately got sick before the meet, and it didn’t go the way we would have wished.
“Since then, he has continuously been one of the most dedicated and hardest working swimmers, growing both mentally and physically. Reed is a great student both in the classroom as well as the pool, always trying and learning new ways to push himself and his team to become better.”
Harris explained that the jump to high school swimming had a lasting and positive impact on his progression.
“Going from swimming 2-3 times per week to swimming eight practices per week, I definitely saw my times drop in the beginning of my high school career,” he said. “It definitely impacted me in terms of getting to districts as a freshman.”
And now that’s over?
“I’m very satisfied with my swimming career, that I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish,” said Harris. “It’s kind of crazy, after having had made it as a sophomore and watching the finals’ people winning, and then to come back myself and win. It was just a real full-circle moment.”
Going into this year’s state meet, Harris was seeded first and quietly confident about bringing home gold.
“I definitely had high hopes, and I thought I could definitely drop my times,” he said. “I knew it was possible. But, there wasn’t the pressure of, you know, ‘You need to go out there and win gold.’ It was just more of, ‘Go out there and see what you can do.’”
Next Stop, Providence
Part of the reason Harris was able to have the right mindset heading into states was that he was already signed, sealed and delivered to continue his swim career in the Ivy League at Brown.
“I’m excited,” said Harris. “I’m real excited to be continuing my swimming career into the future.”
Harris went on to add that several schools showed interest after his stellar junior year, but Brown just felt like home.
He said: “I just kind of weighed my options enough to go and visit the schools I was talking to, and Brown just had the right fit, both academically and athletically, and I really liked the atmosphere of the team.”
Harris put himself in position for Brown - where he will study applied mathematics and economics for a career in the financial world - with a weighted 5.13 GPA. He is a member of Wissahickon’s National Honor Society and many other extracurricular activities (Key Club, WissLink and serving as a student representative to the Wissahickon School Board).
“Studying is definitely a priority for me,” he said. “I think what has made me successful is just my love of learning. I choose to take courses that pique my interest. In doing that, I am able to enjoy it and it doesn’t seem as laborious as exhausting as if I didn’t enjoy it.”
Family Pride
Harris’ cheering section was led by his parents, Mitch and Elissa.
“It is hard to describe,” said Mitch Harris. “It was an incredible experience to watch him exceed his swimming goals and be recognized for them. Three days later, I still have no voice from cheering so loudly during his final individual race.”
The celebration included several teammates, who also reached the state meet.
“As a sophomore, Reed was the only member of the boys Wissahickon swim team to qualify for states, but this year the team fielded two relays and one other swimmer qualified in an individual event,” said Mitch Harris. “Seeing him get to be there with part of his team and get to celebrate the wins with them - and swimmers from other schools - was awesome.
“His athletic accomplishment exceeded my expectations, but I was also really proud to hear from parents of swimmers from other schools that their sons liked competing against Reed and found him to be a gracious and kind person. I was so happy for him to end his high school swim career on such a high note.”
‘Dynamic Duo’
Mitch Harris goes from being his son’s biggest fan to his coach during volleyball season, which is happening now.
The dynamic is nothing new, as Mitch Harris became the volleyball coach when Reed Harris was a freshman and the program was first established.
“It is kind of crazy, we drove back from the PIAA state swim meet (last) Thursday night, flying high from his performance in the pool and, 17 hours later, we were on the volleyball court with the team getting ready for the first match of the season,” said Mitch Harris, who started coaching Reed at the club level when he was 12 and played himself at Plymouth Whitemarsh. “He joked that while he was in great shape for swimming, he is super sore from using different muscles in the first few volleyball practices.
“This dynamic is special and challenging but something we’ve been used to for a while, and something he saw his older sister also have to navigate. We have spent countless hours together in the gym, on car rides to volleyball tournaments, bumping the volleyball in the driveway, reviewing game film, and talking about new drills for practices or upcoming volleyball matches at the dinner table. It created a strong bond, but it can also be a lot to be the coach’s kid.”
On the court, Reed Harris deploys the 6-4 frame that revealed itself post-COVID to his advantage, earning all-league honors.
Said Coach Harris: “As ‘Dad’ I am very proud of his play and infused him with a love of volleyball but, as ‘Coach Mitch,’ I have high standards for him as a co-captain. He needs to show dedication, energy and openness to constructive feedback. I am not simply Dad, his cheerleader. Reed has taken this unique situation and matured as a technical player, a person and a leader. He learned to separate the person delivering the feedback from the quality and intent of the feedback itself, which enabled him to elevate his game.”
Added Reed Harris: “It’s definitely an interesting dynamic. At home, it’s dad. Once we get the volleyball court, it’s ‘Coach Mitch.’ It’s definitely a great way for us to bond. We must spend six hours a day talking about volleyball.”
From living in the same home as his coach, Reed Harris has been able to understand the wherefores and whys behind coaching.
“Reed has also seen first-hand the difficult decisions coaches must make while balancing what is best for individual players and what is best for the team,” said Mitch Harris. “I believe this understanding helps him be a more strategic and thoughtful leader.
“He has learned how to handle situations in which other players may be upset with me as the coach, teaching him to worry less about what others think and to focus instead on his own relationship with these teammates.”
In the end, according to the coach, they have become of one mind.
“Our dynamic has also allowed us a shorthand of sorts,” he explained. “We usually read the game the same way, because I taught him the game. I can make a small gesture on the bench and he sees it on the court and makes the adjustment. No words are necessary.”
Although there is a lot of team bonding in swimming, despite individual aspects, volleyball is a team sport with a different type of connection with teammates.
Reed Harris has come to appreciate and embrace the differences.
“It’s definitely a transition,” he said, adding that he will not be playing volleyball at Brown. “I like the two sports, and for different reasons.
“At the end of swim season, I’m kind of ready for volleyball. The transition from one to the other have never been too difficult for me because I’m always ready to start a new and exciting chapter.”
Building a Program
Prior to the arrival of Harris & Harris, the concept of a boys’ volleyball program required jumping through various hurdles, like from the school board and the athletic director, and then recruiting players.
“I helped to start it,” said Reed Harris. “Our first season was my freshman year. It was definitely an interesting dynamic. As a freshman, I was the only one on the team that had club volleyball experience. So, that was interesting dynamic, having the most experience while being a freshman. It was kind of cool to see. We had a lot of interest from freshmen and sophomores, so we were able to build this team together with a great group of guys.”
With approval granted just weeks before the season, the turnout – 35 students – was encouraging.
Added the coach: “It was a bit magical. Everybody was so energized and so committed. The players loved the game and quickly improved. Now we are entering our fourth year of the program and the progress the team has made is incredible.”
From a record of 6-6 in that first year, the Trojans went 13-7 last season and secured a spot in the district playoffs.
Said Mitch Harris: “We have high hopes for Reed’s senior year with a strong slate of passionate returning passionate players.”
