This week’s notebook highlights swimmers from Pennsbury, Hatboro-Horsham and Plymouth Whitemarsh.
National Conference
Shuster stepping up for Falcons - As a freshman last year, Deanna Shuster had no problem diving right in for Pennsbury.
“I knew a lot of the upperclassmen from swimming at PAC (Penn Aquatic Club) and they were all very welcoming,” she said. “It was just a great environment to come into because everyone was so helpful and really wanted you to adjust to high school swimming and be a part of the team and contribute.
“They made it so much fun to be a part of the team.”
As a sophomore this year, she hopes to help create that atmosphere for the newcomers.
“Now as a sophomore I’m very comfortable and I want to step up and do the things for this year’s freshmen that last year’s team did for me,” she said. “I want them to enjoy being part of the team as much as I do.”
She has personal goals as well as team goals.
“Last year there was some stress because I wanted to step up and get my name out there,” she said. “This year I want to swim well and contribute as much as I can to the team but I also want to do well as an individual.”
As a freshman, she qualified for the District One Class AAA meet in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing 17th.
“I definitely want to qualify for the backstroke again and I’m aiming for the 100 butterfly. I’m also really excited about our medley relay. I think we have a chance to maybe make it to states. That would be the overall goal.”
She would like to swim in college but has not chosen a school or major.
“I still have time to work that out,” she said. “Right now I’m just enjoying being part of the team.”
Continental Conference
Schmele enjoying her second go-round - Hatboro-Horsham sophomore Barbara Schmele thinks things are better the second time around.
“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable this year,” she said. “When you’re a freshman, there are a lot of unknowns. You’re doing a lot of things for the first time, and there’s a lot of pressure.
“Some of that pressure goes away the second time around because you know what you’re doing and what’s expected of you. There’s still the pressure to swim well, but that’s going to be there no matter what.”
Last year Schmele qualified for the District One Class AAA meet in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing 23rd. At the conference championships, she was fourth in both the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke.
“I really want to make it to states,” she said. “That’s a big goal for me. I feel more confident this year. My coaches have a lot of faith in me and without them I don’t think I could do half of the things that they say I can do so that’s one of the big things that gets me through.”
It wasn’t love at first sight for her.
“I’ve been swimming for a long time, but when I first started I hated it,” said Schmele, whose older sister Liz also swam for the Hatters. “They put me in it because they wanted me to be involved in something.
“I ended up here and I’m so thankful for that.”
She feels good about her team.
“I’m really excited about this year for myself and for our team,” she said. “We’re in a hard conference and we’re doing well. We have a lot of depth and the freshmen we picked up are amazing so I think we’re going to be right in there.
“It will be very interesting to see how it plays out I think we’re going to have some really close meets and those will really determine who comes out on top.”
American Conference
Jordahl aiming high - Brian Jordahl took a break from swimming.
A big break.
“I used to swim when I was little but I stopped after awhile,” said the Plymouth-Whitemarsh senior captain.
“When I got to high school my mother told me I had to do something so I decided to swim because I already had some experience, even though it had been a long time ago.”
There was a five-year gap between his last youth swim and his first high school swim.
“My first high school race was in an intra-squad meet when I was a freshman and I was very slow,” he said. “I’ve come so far since then.”
Jordahl excels in the distance freestyle events.
“In the early going, the coach (Taren Igou) noticed that I had good pacing in practice so he felt that distance was a good fit for me,” he said. “I was never much of a sprinter anyway so it seemed like a good decision.”
At last year’s conference championship meet, he finished 10th in the 500 freestyle and 11th in the 200 freestyle.
“My goal this year is to qualify for districts in the 500,”he said. “I figure if I swim around 5:00 then I’ll get in. I’m about four seconds off of that right now but the 500 isn’t like other events, where you work all season to get your time down by one second.
“You can shave off a couple of seconds in the 500 in just one swim, so I really do think that I’m capable of it and I’m just one good swim away.”
He is planning to major in engineering and has narrowed his college choice down to Drexel or Pitt.
“They’re both good schools, but they’re Division I so I don’t see myself swimming competitively,” he said. “I would like to continue to swim recreationally, though.
“Coming back to swimming was one of the best decisions I ever made and I’m so glad my mom made me pick an activity.”
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