AACS Swimmer Competes At Olympic Trials

By Colin A.J. Murphy

Katelyn Sowinski, a nationally competitive swimmer and rising senior at Annapolis Area Christian School, traveled to Omaha, Nebraska the week of June 25-29 to compete in the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Swimmers who compete at the trials must first qualify by achieving benchmark times in their events at regular meets throughout the year. Since July 2011, Sowinski qualified in the 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 200m butterfly, and competed in all three events at the trials.

A 4.0 student who takes all AP and Honors classes at AACS, Sowinski endures a rigorous, year-round training regimen. During the school year, she practices before school at 5:00am at Big Vanilla in Arnold, and each day after school she drives to Owings Mills for an afternoon practice. During the summer, she practices at 6:00am most mornings and makes the same drive to Owings Mills most evenings.

While making the Olympic team is an ultimate goal for Sowinski, she has viewed this summer’s trials as more of an all-around learning experience that will give her great exposure to college swimming coaches as she begins the recruiting process. Her more realistic run at the Olympic games will come in 2016, when she will be a junior in college.

Sowinski took time during the week of the trials to answer the Voice’s questions.

What motivates you to be at practice at 5:00am on school mornings, to drive up to McDonough for 6:00am practices, to be so committed?

The love for the sport motivates me. I am an active person, and getting up to swim before school actually wakes me up, and I feel a lot better for the day. I also know it is making me a better swimmer, and that makes me happy as well. Can't say I love the 5:00am wakeup for 6:00am swims in the summer, but again, I love the sport and am committed to it and reaching my goals.

What has the experience of the Olympic Trials been like? What aspects of it have made the biggest impression on you or made you most excited?

The Olympic Trials experience has been exciting and overwhelming. It is amazing to be here, and I thank God that I am one of the swimmers that gets this privilege. There are so many great swimmers here, and being with them in the pool, locker room and at restaurants has been a lot of fun. It is stressful and scary, too, and I think this experience sets me up for an even better run I hope for the [2016] Olympic Team next time around when I'm a junior in college. It is an honor to be here and I am so happy to have been able to accomplish my goals and just get here. The hard work has been so worth it!

What’s something that's important to you that most people don't know about that plays a role in your focus and preparation as an athlete?

My strong faith plays a huge role in my success. I always have a favorite Bible verse to read at meets before I swim. I also listen to a favorite country song or two! My awesome family is my support system. They always are there in all that I do no matter what and have sacrificed family vacations and living closer to work so that I can swim on the team I’m on and attend the meets I need to! We are so close and I love them very much! After graduation next year I hope to finally take a family vacation somewhere awesome for a few days anyway!

For ongoing coverage of  Northeast, Chesapeake, Archbishop Spalding and Pasadena rec league sports, follow us on Twitter at @PVoiceSports. Receive scores, updates, articles, and our Twitter sports photos in real time, between print issues.

See all of our sports photo slideshows.

Click the Bookmark link to the right to share this article on facebook.