On Monday, April 25, 2016, Hatboro-Horsham seniors Grace Emig, Adam Thron and Barbara Schmele were recognized for committing to continue their swimming careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Grace Emig – Ursinus College (Swimming)
Major: Secondary Education
Final list of colleges: Ursinus, Temple
Reasons for choosing Ursinus: “Ursinus said they put school first, keeping up your grades. They have two different practices, and you can go to the one that accommodates your schedule.
“I really liked the coach. He kind of reminded me how my dad coaches, and the girls on the team were so nice. They reminded me of all the girls here, and I could see myself being a swim team family with them, just like I had here.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in swimming at the collegiate level? “I was committed to Temple, and after districts – I had a really good meet, but I didn’t do my goal time, and I was like, ‘If I don’t swim in college, this is my last meet ever, and I’m never going to get to that goal time. Yes, I definitely need to swim. That’s what’s going to be best for me.’
“If I had gone to Temple, I wanted to swim club, but I was in contact with the club coach, and she told me she sends out the practices, and you can go when you need to. I figured if I did that I wouldn’t have any motivation to go to actual practice. I feel like a set schedule of swimming would be so much better for me because that’s what I’m used to now.”
Coach Kip Emig says: “Grace is my daughter, and she wasn’t going to swim in college. We had this discussion six months ago. She was going to go to Temple, and after her district meet – she had a really successful district meet, and she came in the bedroom crying and said, ‘I think I’m going to miss it too much. I want to swim.’ I have a good high school friend that is one of the coaches at Ursinus and I called Albright. We went back and forth, and she really liked the coaching staff, and the kids really made the decision for her at Ursinus.
“Grace is a sprinter, and she’s very much a late bloomer. I think she’s going to have good college success.”
About Grace:
Favorite food: Mac ‘N Cheese
Favorite movie: Can’t Buy Me Love
Favorite music: Red Hot Chili Peppers & Vance Joy
Barbara Schmele – West Chester University (Swimming)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Pitt
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I wanted to be a little bit closer to home, so my parents could come and watch me swim. I just felt so welcomed by the team, and I really loved what their program is all about. Ultimately, that’s what helped me decide.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in swimming at the collegiate level? “My brother and sister kind of brought up the topic (of colleges) and said, ‘Here’s where I want to visit, this is what I want to do.’ I’m kind of a go with the flow, let the wind take me kind of person, and that really worried (my mom) that I never brought up the topic of college. She said, ‘If we need to get you a life coach to make this decision, that might need to happen.’
“As soon as I was contacted by one of the coaches at West Chester, I went on a visit, and I just fell in love, and that was the end of it. I said, ‘Mom, you don’t need to get me a life coach. We have a decision made, so don’t worry about it.’”
Coach Kip Emig says: “Barb’s mother and I went to high school together, so I remember the day Barbara was born. She’s more of an IM, backstroke, breaststroker, she can do butterfly, she can do everything. She’s a swimmer who really blossomed. When she came in as a freshman, she was an average high school swimmer, and her freshman year she excelled beyond her expectations and just became one of the leaders of our team, the captain of our team. I’m really excited for her to go to West Chester. I think she’s going to do well.”
About Barbara:
Favorite food: Sweet Potatoes
Favorite movie: Monsters Inc
Favorite music: Country
Adam Thron – Albright University (Swimming)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Albright, Widener, Temple
Reasons for choosing Albright: “Albright was one of the first schools to reach out to me about coming to swim there. At the district meet, I talked to a (Hatboro-Horsham) alumni who’s now a coach there. We got talking, and I got in touch with the head coach, and I went on a visit there. Right from the beginning, I felt like to was a good fit for me. The team was real accepting, and the program seemed like something I would really thrive in.”
What was the progression that led you to swimming at the collegiate level? “I was kind of on the fence about swimming in college because last season really didn’t end too great. I wasn’t too happy with it. This season I really buckled down, I felt like I worked harder. I had pretty decent success this season, and I was happy with where I finished. After the district meet, I realized I didn’t want to stop. I wanted a few more years of swimming.”
Coach Kip Emig says: “Adam was our only senior (boy), and he had a really successful season this year. He’s more of a distance guy, 500 freestyler, 200 freestyler. He wasn’t really thinking about swimming in college the beginning of his senior year, but he made his district qualifying time, broke a five-minute barrier in the 500 free. At the district meet, the assistant coach of Albright was actually an alumni of Hatboro-Horsham, Rick Sutton, and I got them together. He went on an official visit and just loved it there.”
About Adam:
Favorite food: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite movie: Dodgeball
Favorite music: Eminem
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