Highlighting…
Kate Dillione, Senior – Council Rock North High School
Kate Dillione has been on the mountaintop. The Council Rock North senior was the leadoff swimmer in both the 200 and 400 free relays that rewrote the record books last year. At districts, the Indians captured gold in the 400 and finished third in the 200. Both finished fifth at the PIAA State meet.
Individually, Dillione won both the 200 IM and 100 butterfly at the SOL meet. After finishing second in districts in the 100 butterfly, she captured fifth in that event at states with a time of 56.48. In addition, she was fourth in the 200 IM at districts and finished 20th at states.
It’s a pretty impressive resume for the gifted senior, who this season is on the comeback trail after undergoing shoulder surgery last May.
“To her credit, the schedule she thought she was going to be on to come back and the way the doctors were talking – she’s light years of where she’s supposed to be and even where she thought she would be,” coach Ted Schueller said.
Dillione, according to her coach, was not projected to get back in the water until October or November, and she was not supposed to do any kicking or light swimming until Christmas or even later.
“She’s worked extremely hard in and out of the pool and is way ahead of that,” Schueller said. “She’s already back doing 8,000-9,000 yards a day, and she’s lifting and going through her physical therapy.
“She’s not quite at her times that she wants, but we’ve been working on the mental end. I tell her – ‘Hey, everything takes time, but you’re way ahead of where you’re supposed to be.’”
Defying everyone’s timetable but her own, Dillione has participated in every meet and has already posted district qualifying times in the 200 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. Although her times do not yet measure up to her standards, she is well on her way back.
“The biggest thing she’s going through right now is she has to learn how to race again,” Schueller said. “I told her it takes time – the muscle memory alone. You get your swimming muscles back by training, but you have to get your racing mentally and physically back to where it needs to be.”
Several weeks ago, Schueller had Dillione go through a one-on-one workout.
“She was a little frustrated on some of the intervals,” Schueller said. “I said, ‘Kate, think about a week ago and the times you were doing, two weeks ago and the times you were doing. A month ago you didn’t even think you would be swimming at meets.’”
Dillione’s amazing comeback, according to her coach, is a tribute to her tremendous work ethic.
“She’s diligent and just works really hard,” Schueller said. “She’s very focused and very methodical in her training.
“She’s worked really hard to get back to where she’s at, and her main reason for getting back is for the team. That’s something you wouldn’t hear from most kids. She’s just a great kid.”
Dillione also excels in the classroom and is ranked near the top of her class. Next year, she will take her talents to Brown University.
About Kate:
How long have you been swimming competitively? Since I was six years old.
Favorite memory competing in swimming: Winning District One championships last year. One of the greatest moments of my life!
What I enjoy most about swimming: I love going a best time in a big taper meet and knowing that all of my hard work has paid off. I also love to win!
My role model is: In the swimming world, Natalie Coughlin is definitely a role model of mine. She’s an amazing athlete.
Music that gets me pumped: I like rap and techno (ha ha). Any type of music with fast beats!
Favorite TV shows: Glee and How I Met Your Mother
Favorite school subject: Physics
Chocolate or vanilla: Both!
Katie Dempster, Senior – Central Bucks East High School
Katie Dempster, according to her coach, delivers the goods.“If we say, ‘We need this,’ she jumps right in, and she’s right there,” coach Tom Kane said. “She’s a real team player. She really does it for us.”
Kane lists Dempster in the top five breast strokers to go through East. Last year, she swam her personal best of 1:08 at districts. She also excels in the 200 IM and displayed her versatility by qualifying for districts last year in every event except the backstroke.
Dempster is close to getting all her cuts this year as well, and while that’s impressive, what is most telling about the Patriot senior is her willingness to forego swimming her best events in East’s dual meets.
Last year, the Patriots had a logjam in the breaststroke with four district-caliber swimmers.
“Last season, in order for us to win the tight meets against CB West and CB South, our traditional rivals, Kate had to swim events like the 100 free and the 100 fly,” Kane said. “She understands and never complains.
“Once again we have the same situation this year where we have three girls qualifying for districts in the breast, and sometimes she doesn’t get to swim her best event.”
In addition to her contributions in the pool, Dempster is a positive role model as a captain.
“She’s just a really top quality kid,” Kane said. “She drives herself.
“She’s a bit of a perfectionist, which sometimes hurts you a little bit because you sometimes put too much pressure on yourself, but she wants to excel.”
And when it matters most, Dempster will happily put aside her own preferences and swim in any event for the good of the team.
About Katie:
How long have you been swimming competitively? 13 years – since I was five
Favorite memory competing in swimming: Swimming last year in the East/West meet and beating one of my best friends from West with my personal best time of 2:15 in the IM. It was the first time in many years that I had beaten her in any race.
My role model is: My mom. I admire the way she can multi task and keeps us focused.
Music that gets me pumped: ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ from Mulan/Songs from Eminem
Favorite TV shows: Modern Family
Favorite school subject: Math
Chocolate or vanilla: Definitely chocolate
Lindsey Moyer, Junior – Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
Lindsey Moyer could have been excused if she had let down a bit for last week’s non-league match against Springfield (Montco).“I have been hammering them the last two weeks training-wise,” coach Amy Acquaviva said.
No one was more stunned than the PW coach when Moyer turned in one personal best swim after another in the meet against the Spartans.
“All her times were the best she’s ever done, even tapered,” Acquaviva said. “She really stepped it up. She knew it was a big meet for qualifying for districts for the girls.
“She touched out a girl in the 200 IM to get a personal best time. She led off the 200 free relay that qualified for districts for the first time. In the 100 breast, an event later, she qualified for districts for the first time all season and dropped two seconds, which was unreal. She anchored the 400 free relay that won and missed districts by .5 and dropped eight seconds, and she swam a personal best split.
“She just stepped it up. Everyone else was complaining they were tired from doing back-to-back events, and she was like, ‘We can do it.’ She’s very positive. She’s a very positive girl.”
Moyer, according to her coach, is reaping the benefits of her hard work.
“Even the last couple of weeks, she’s been starting to lead the main lane,” Acquaviva said. “When other girls are taking a backseat, she’ll actually go first, and that’s why I was so proud of her at the Springfield meet because she’s really been showing how much she wants it.
“She’s really working her tail off, and it’s nice to see it pay off.”
The individual medley as well as the 100 breast are Moyer’s specialties, but this season she has come on strong in the freestyle. Acquaviva is comfortable putting Moyer in any event she might be neeeded.
“Last year she qualified for districts the first meet of the season and after that she kind of just went through the motions and didn’t do too great,” Acquiviva said. “This year she decided to step it up her junior year, so I’m pretty excited to see her do so well at our last meet.
“I can’t wait to see how she does in districts and the rest of the season. She has such a passion for swimming. Just to have a swimmer on our team that still loves coming every day after a few months of hard training – she just loves the sport.”
About Lindsey:
How long have you been swimming competitively? 10 years – since I was six
Favorite memory competing in swimming: Freshman year, Suburbans. After the last regular season meet, our team only had a medley relay and a 50 freestyler qualified for Districts. I wasn’t in the relay, and I wasn’t the 50 freestyler, so I wasn’t going to Districts at all until the greatest meet of my entire life, Suburbans. As soon as the meet started, the adrenaline kicked in, and swimmer after swimmer on our team qualified for Districts and/or placed in the top three of the event they had been working toward all season. It was my first experience with a taper, and I couldn’t believe how fast everyone was going. I placed third in all of my events and qualified for Districts in all but one in that meet. I was proud of my team, and they were proud of me. It was the best feeling in the world to stand on the block with a medal in your hand and look at the numbers on the scoreboard and be able to say that that time belonged to you. That really was the best meet of my life.
My role model is: A lot of times I think about Fran Crippen when I swim. We got bands in memory of him, and every time I see mine, I remember him. Although I never met him personally, everyone says he was a hard worker who was dedicated and had a positive outlook. He never gave up as is exemplified by the way he died. The qualities he had are the ones I aspire to have. Every time I’m in the pool, when the swimming gets really tough and I just feel like quitting, I remind myself how much Fran would love to be in my position. He lived for the thrill of the race, and even when I wish I was somewhere else, I realize that he would wish to be doing what I’m doing right then and there if he could have the chance.
Music that gets me pumped: Even though it’s cliché, ‘Remember the Name’ by Fort Minor is the best song to remind you to go out there and kill it.
Favorite TV show: The Office
Favorite school subject: Math, like the statistics kind of math
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate all the way!
- Log in to post comments
0
