Swimmers from William Tennent and Pennridge as well as a diver from Upper Moreland are featured in this week’s notebook.
National Conference
Connor Harris, William Tennent
Swimming is a family affair for Connor Harris..jpg)
“My grandfather swam into his 80’s and my dad swam,” said Harris, a senior captain at William Tennent. “My grandfather didn’t swim competitively at that age but he was still in the water.”
Harris has been swimming since he was about nine or 10.
“It’s something I really enjoy,” he said. “My goal this year is to make it to districts in an individual event, either the 50 or 100 freestyle. I’ve been to districts before but only as a member of the 200 freestyle relay, so I would really like to accomplish that this year.”
This is his second season as a team captain.
“It’s definitely a responsibility,” Harris said. “I just try to keep everyone in line and make sure they’re doing what they should be doing.”
His younger brother Colin is on the team.
“It’s actually fun having him on the team,” he said. “We have another brother Kyle so our names are always getting all mixed up.
“Sometimes Colin and I will be on a relay with Will and Joe Gwynn so it’s a brother relay and we have fun with that.”
In addition to swimming, he plays the saxophone in the wind ensemble and marching band.
He is considering four colleges; West Virginia, Temple, West Chester and Coastal Carolina. He hasn’t chosen a major but is leaning toward actuarial or a math related major.
Of those four, only West Virginia and West Chester have men’s swimming.
“Academics are the main reason for college so that would be my focus but I’d maybe swim club,” he said. “It’s a great way to make friends.”
Continental Conference
Nick Bland, Pennridge
For Nick Bland, swimming was just a natural thing.
“My mom was a swimmer and I always liked the water,” said the Pennridge junior. “I enjoyed swimming in the .JPG)
ocean, so becoming a swimmer was just easy for me.
He’s been swimming for about 10 years but got serious around the fifth grade, when he joined the Central Bucks Swim Club.
“That’s when I really got into swimming,” he said. “I just kept getting better every year and I stuck with it.”
Last year Bland set the school record in the 500-yard freestyle, but this year he is focusing on the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke and is hoping to get to states in the backstroke. He established school records in both of those events this season.
“I went to districts in both of my first two years of high school and that’s when you really see the field of swimmers,” he said. “Our district is very competitive but I like that.
“Right now I’m going on a good pace. Getting school records gives me confidence and I think it looks good for me to get to states.
“I’m looking forward to districts and leagues. Our entire team is dropping time and that gets me excited to see what we can do. Some of these guys who I’ve been swimming eight to 10 years with are doing really well, and I’m hoping they can make it to districts with me.”
In addition to swimming, he is a member of the National Honor Society.
He has not chosen a college but is considering Penn State, Purdue and Ohio State and would like to major in aerospace engineering.
“I’d like to work at NASA,” he said. “That’s my ultimate goal.”
American Conference
Colleen Rodrigues, Upper Moreland
Last year was a breakout year for Colleen Rodrigues.
The Upper Moreland diver won the District One Class AA title and went on to finish seventh at the PIAA meet to
pick up her first state medal.
Now a senior, she is back and ready to keep moving forward.
“Last year was very exciting for me,” she said. “It was a big improvement from the year before, especially at states. I’m really looking to just improve from last year score-wise, which I am doing.
“I’m perfecting a lot of my dives. I want to place better than last year at states, but the most important thing for me is to improve my score so I’m not totally worried about my place.”
Rodrigues began diving in summer league right before beginning middle school, but became a serious diver when she started high school.
“I also played softball for most of my life, until my sophomore year,” she said. “I started to become more committed to diving in ninth grade. That’s when I realized how much I enjoyed it and I wanted to see how far I could go with it. Softball was for fun but it began to interfere with diving.”
In addition to diving, she is a member of the yearbook committee and Key Club and has participated in the Mini-Thon for three years, this year as a committee head.
She is hoping to dive in college and is considering Delaware, West Chester, La Salle and Wagner. She has applied as an undeclared major.
“My favorite subject is math so I’m thinking about majoring in math or business,” she said.
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