Swimming and diving towards the future

The whistle blows and the swimmers dive into the pool, starting at a dolphin kick before reaching the surface and beginning their strokes. But this time, they aren’t performing for the competition; they’re swimming for their college.

Seniors Jack Luddy, Ellen Ellis, and Holly Hopson have already signed onto various colleges to join their teams.

“When I visited Ball state, I loved the environment the school created. I’m fond of the coach and the team,” Luddy said.

While Luddy goes to Ball State, 2014 Metro Champion Holly Hopson travels all the way down to Florida Atlantic to participate in their swim team.

“I contacted Flordia Atlantic, wisited the team, and they showed me around campus. My grandparents live there, so its convenient for me, even if it’s so far away from home,” Hopson said.

Along with them seniors, Ellen Ellis will be travelling all the way to the University of Sioux Falls to comete in their swim team.

“It’s a Christian school, so it matches up with my beliefs. It was exciting to meet Coach McCall, and see how driven he was. This will be Sioux Falls first year of having a swim team, so I’m really excited on how it will play out,” Ellis said.

All of them have competed in varsity their four years in high school, swimming in a variety of events, representing the MN swim team.

“They have been doing very well in swim and multitasking between swimming and Metro academics,” Andrew Cunningham, MN Swim Coach, said.

These seniors are still in high school, getting ready for the new, and last, swim season as MN competitors. Yet they find it more relaxing that they’ve signed onto another college.

“This just helps me relieve stress knowing where I’m going. Because of it, I can focus more on my season,” Luddy said.

With this motivator, the seniors find the advantages to the stressful and time-consuming swim team.

“Being able to go off campus and off hours help with homework, and I can do it when I get home everyday as well. Swim team has definitely taught me how to time manage what I do,” Hopson said.

But colleges look for more than just time management skills to get on their teams.

“Colleges look for someone who is willing to be hardworking, and put in the dedication and loyalty into the sport,” Luddy said.

Because of these colleges, the swimmers still try to do the best they can during the swim season, making goals and getting faster with their times.

“Swim team has done very well these past couple of years. Girls have won several invites, along with winning Metro for the first time two years ago, and the boys got their first invite this past year,” Cunningham said.

Since this is their last year at MN, hey want to leave a legacy to the school, and the students who attend it.

“This year for the team I want MN to get the Metro title, as we did two years ago, in 2014,” Ellis said.

Luddy, Hopson, and Ellis all will be going to their colleges in the fall of 2016, ready to take on the world, and face the new life that awaits them.