They do this for the love of the sport, not necessarily the glory.
Swimmers can have it tough at times.
Weird practice hours. Often a practice in the morning before school, and then another after school for those who compete for clubs.
They race in front of family and friends. But rarely in front of a huge crowd.
Still, this is their sport.
“You work really hard. At times you get in a rut. You feel you’re not getting anywhere, but you keep going to practice,” Union senior Livi Cox said. “You want to be in that last race of the season, and you want to look up at the scoreboard, and you want to see a time drop. Once you see that, it’s worth it.”
Cox said she wished swimming was more popular in America. She noted the greatest Olympian of all time — Michael Phelps — is a swimmer.
But she swims for her team, herself, and her fans.
“You want to make your parents and your coaches proud,” said Cox, who won the 200-yard individual medley Thursday in a meet with Columbia River, Heritage, and Hudson’s Bay at the YMCA.
Swimming, Makena Wilcox said, is a great way for her to clear her mind. A sophomore from Columbia River, she won the 200 freestyle.
“The coaches inspire me to do better in the sport, and they inspire me to be a better person through sportsmanship,” Wilcox said.
Shelby Conrad of Union said she fell in love with swimming when she was 8 years old.
“A lot of people think it’s an individual sport. It is. It can be. But it’s also family,” said Conrad, who helped the Titans win the 200 medley relay in the first event of the day. “You’re around your friends every single day, and I love it.”
Swim meets might not make for great crowds, but they are appreciative. They understand the sacrifices the athletes have made.
Conrad looked at the fans Thursday and smiled.
“It makes the whole team feel real, real good,” she said.
Girls swimming storylines for 2015
— Sophomores Kara Noftsker and Makena Wilcox return to lead Columbia River. Noftsker placed 10th at 3A state in the 200 free and 11th in 500 free. Wilcox placed 15th in 100 free and ninth in 50 free.
— Heritage’s Colleen Woods is the highest-placing state returnee in Clark County. Woods placed fourth in the 100 butterfly at Class 4A.
— Union’s Livi Cox placed 9th at 4A state in the 200 individual medley, 11th in the 100 backstroke and was on two Union relays at state.
