An update from Varsity Swim Coach Lindsey Ahrens:
This season, the girls have been working extremely hard in practice both in and out of the water. We are here 3-4 mornings a week, way before other students arrive to school. Sometimes we even have to turn the lights on in the building.
There have been days that these girls almost can’t walk because they are so sore, but everyone has swum faster this year than at the same time last year. Many girls even have recorded their personal best times! Alex Clemens '14 has dropped more than six seconds in her 100 freestyle, clocking a time of 1:05.45; Dominique Hall '14 has recorded a 1:00.00 in her 100 free, a four-second drop from last year.
Over the December 10-11 weekend, we traveled to compete in the Ned Reeb Invitational at The Ohio State University. Emma Stewart-Bates '13 led the team in points by placing 16th in the 200 free with a time of 2:01.91 and sixth in the 500 free with a time of 5:19.65, a three-second time drop from her preliminary time. Taylor Forsythe '13 also qualified to swim in finals and placed 12th, with a time of 5:27.81- dropping more than 10 seconds from her best time last year.
Emily Gudbranson '12, a swim team captain and one of our top swimmers, could not be with us at OSU because she was competing at Junior Nationals in Texas. Gudbranson competed for her club team, the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins, in the 200, 400, and 800 free relays.
The girls will be competing at the Viking Invitational at Cleveland State University December 17-19. Known as a state preview meet, it’s a challenge to even meet the qualifying times. Returning to this meet are Emily Gudbranson, Emma Stewart-Bates, and Taylor Forsythe. Qualifying for the first time are Caroline Bashour '13, Caroline Click '14, and Dominique Hall.
It’s been a great season so far with the addition of our freshmen, who have been earning best times whenever they touch water, especially Catherine Mullen '15, who started the year with a 6:02.85 in the 500 and swam 5:51.07 last week in Columbus.
While the rest of the HB students will be enjoying Winter Break, the members of the Varsity Swim Team will be practicing from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. every day.
But it's all worth it.
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