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.
