SOL Boys/Girls Swimming Notebook (2-8-17)

Swimmers from Abington, CB West and Plymouth Whitemarsh are featured in this week’s notebook.

National Conference

Nathan Suit, Abington
For Nathan Suit, high school swimming has been easier the second time around.
“I’m so much more confident this year,” said Suit, a sophomore at Abington. “I did well last year but I knew this year I could get so much faster so I knew I could do a lot better this year.”
He already has the District One Class 3A cut in the 100-yard backstroke.
“I already have the backstroke and I would like to get at least one more cut, the 500 freestyle or maybe the 100 freestyle,” he said. “I didn’t get to districts last year so that was a big goal for me. I knew I could do it this year because I just missed it last year.
“I’m glad I have at least one district cut already and I’m really looking forward to getting there.”
He has been swimming a long time.
“I started swimming at around age six or seven,” he said. “I was smaller when I was younger so I couldn’t play some sports like football, but I did play baseball when I was younger and I still play it now. I enjoy baseball but swimming is definitely my first sport.”
Abington is a smaller team but Suit is optimistic.
“We’re not really focused on whether we win or lose,” he said. “It’s about doing the best we can.”
He has not chosen a college yet.
“If it gets me into college then I’ll definitely swim in college,” he said. “I’m not sure of a major, maybe engineering or finance, which is what my father does.”

Continental Conference

Carly Siegle, Central Bucks West

It’s all coming to an end too quickly for Carly Siegle.
The Central Bucks West senior captain will swim the final meet of her high school career at the upcoming conference championship meet.
“Districts is not a reachable goal for me, but I’ve made so much improvement that I’m very happy with where I am,” Siegle said. “The conference meet is going to be very exciting and I’m very hopeful that I’ll drop more time.
“That’s what I love about swimming. It’s a team sport, but at the same time it’s such an individual sport. You can really set goals for yourself.
“It’s probably going to be very emotional for me. The meet against Central Bucks South was our last dual meet of the year and that was emotional. It’s so hard to believe that it’s almost over. The four years went by so fast.”
She takes her role as captain seriously.
“I’ve always been a leader outside the pool so it was fun to bring those leadership skills to the pool and make everyone feel like a team,” she said.
Her main events are the 500-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
“It’s an unusual combination, but I love doing distance and not everyone does, and I love the rhythm of the breaststroke,” she said.
She is also a Key Club officer, is on the Class Council and is a member of the National Honor Society.
She has been accepted to Penn State and West Chester and plans to major in secondary education with an eye toward becoming a math teacher.

American Conference

Billy Gallagher, Plymouth Whitemarsh
Billy Gallagher played basketball, baseball and soccer when he was younger.
But once he started swimming, he knew he’d found his sport.
“I started out as a 10-year-old, which is kind of old to begin,” said Gallagher, a junior. “A friend of mine wanted me to do it so I did.
“Once I saw I could be really good at swimming, I decided to stick with it and dropped the other sports so I could focus on swimming. I golf a little, but swimming is my main sport.”
His primary events are the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.
“This year I made the automatic cut time for districts for the first time so I’m really happy about that,” he said. “Now my goal is to make it to states. If I don’t do that this year, it will be my main goal for next year and I think it’s achievable.
“Our team has done really great practicing. Everyone has worked really, really hard and I think a lot of them could make districts which would be great.
“Our league championship meet is coming up and everyone is really excited for it. We’re expecting fast times from everyone. I’m not tapering for that meet but I still think I’ll swim fast because that meet seems to bring out the best in everyone.
“I’m especially excited that I don’t have the pressure of trying to get district cuts at the meet, but I’ll still try to swim as fast asI can.”
He hasn’t chosen a college yet but has decided he’d like to continue swimming.
“Scholarship or not, I’ll swim, although it might be on a club and not the team,” he said. “It’s hard to give it up.”
He is considering something in the medical field, perhaps physical therapy.

“I have time to work that out,” he said.