Age: 17
Grade: 12
School: Lake Forest High School
Events: 200 Medley Relay (backstroke); 50 Freestyle; 100 Backstroke; 400 Freestyle Relay;
Height: 5 feet 7 inches
Q In a season where you’ve been winning events on a regular basis, what have been the standout achievements for you?
A I qualified in the 50 free in our first meet and I’ve been swimming qualifying times ever since. And that’s hard because last year I qualified once and never swam that time again until states. This year it’s consistently getting better so that’s new for me and that’s good.
Q While you’ve excelled, the team itself has struggled. Do you see things turning around?
A I think we’re finally getting back together. The beginning of the year there was so much going on in the school with the snow during Christmas break that really threw everyone off. We had snow days and never really figured out our schedule for the winter break. Now, I think most of our team is really excited for the end because they see it coming and are swimming harder. When you can see the end you always go harder.
Q How do you keep up the successful pace you’ve established so far this season?
A I always do better the first half of the season than I do the second and I don’t know why. But this year I’ve just been more positive about it. Because I’ve been doing so well, I’ve been more positive and I’m getting closer with my times. It just makes me want to keep going and I don’t want the season to end without me reaching my last goals.
Q On top of Lake swimming, you swim club year-round, play indoor field hockey in the winter, field hockey for Lake in the fall and softball for Lake in the spring. What’s the easiest transition between seasons?
A I’ve been swimming since I was 5, so it’s pretty monotonous to me because it’s the same strokes; the same laps; the same counts. But when I get to softball, everyone is struggling to breathe on those first few days of tryouts, and I’m just chugging along. It definitely keeps my lungs in shape more than anything. Swimming is the easiest transition to softball because all your muscles are toned from swimming.
Q Do you have any odd pre-meet rituals for swimming?
A Yeah, it’s that I don’t warm up as much as most people do. Most people, when they warm up, they get loose. I get tired. When you do warm-ups they’re distance, and when I do distance it keeps me in distance mode. I have to stay in sprint mode, so I actually warm up less than most people.
Q What are your plans for college?
A I’m going to the University of Delaware to get my bachelor’s in biology, with a minor in education, and going to grad school at either [the University of North Carolina-Wilmington or the University of Miami].
Q Are you going to stick to sports in college?
A I’ll probably play club sports. I’m hoping to graduate early so I can save some money for graduate school, and I want to study abroad so I don’t think I’d be able to do the D-II or D-III sports they have.
Q What club sports do you want to play?
A Water polo. We play on the swim team for fun at practices and I love it because for some reason I can tread water all day long. I can throw the ball pretty hard and I love playing with the boys because it’s rougher. I’ve always wanted to play a contact sport but in high school there really aren’t many girls contact sports.
Q How do you manage to balance sports and a social life, and still keep your grades up?
A It’s really hard because I have five AP classes and I teach swim lessons my seventh period, so my schedule is really crazy. The biggest thing is, I get everything done early. I cannot wait until the last second because it’ll never get done. As soon as I get something that’s due or a new assignment, I make sure I do it that night.
LIZ’S FAVORITES
MOVIE “Marley and Me”
MUSIC Country
PRE-GAME/MEET SONG “Stronger” by Kanye West
SWIMMING STROKE Backstroke
UP NEXT
WHO Lake Forest High School (1-3, 1-1) vs. Milford High School (6-0, 4-0)
WHEN 3:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15
WHERE Lake Forest Aquatic Center, 5407 Killens Pond Road, Felton
SEND US NOMINATIONS:
You can nominate a coach or player to be profiled here by emailing names and your reasons to brian.citino@doverpost.com
