The numbers game/ Area high school teams losing swimmers to club

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Dec 6, 1999 by Cecilia Potts

For many club athletes the natural course of year-round swimming means spending three months competing in high school.

Such was the case last year for Shannon and Holly Leigh of Coronado and Anna Trinidad of Cheyenne Mountain.

The trio was pegged to carry the area's banner of success into the new millennium, until the Leigh sisters decided to forgo their high school season this year.

Sometimes club swimmers no longer find enough benefits in taking on the added pressure of high school competition.

"It was very stressful to do both club and high school swim teams last year," said Shannon Leigh.

Shannon, a senior, recently accepted a full-ride scholarship at the University of North Dakota.

"For me it's just easier to focus on the big picture," said Shannon. "I like to prepare for one large meet at the end of the season rather than lots of dual meets."

Because so many other high school girls in the area also swim on club teams, the duals had become increasingly competitive.

"It seemed like we were swimming the state meet at the dual meets," said Shannon.

Although Holly, a sophomore, enjoyed the camaraderie of high school swimming, she had a hard time shifting from her club sport mentality. Her competitive nature made swimming a meet each week too tiring.

"I give it all I have every time I compete, and it was hard doing that every week," said Holly.

Holly's goals also differed from those of a high school swimmer.

In high school the goal is to make it to the state meet and place. A year-round club swimmer looks at the state meet and wants to win it.

In the case of Trinidad, that goal was attainable twice.

Trinidad won the 200-meter individual medley and 100 breaststroke at last year's state meet. This year the sophomore is back.

Both a high school and club team member, Trinidad has found a way to balance the rigorous training for both and still maintain her national ranking.

"It's so fun. I can't imagine not swimming with my high school team," said Trinidad.

Like many year-round swimmers on high school teams, the closeness of a school team fuels Trinidad's desire to swim.

"I have so many friends on my school team, it's great," said Trinidad, who competes with several freshmen at Cheyenne who are also club members.

Trinidad says the goals of high school and club teams are the same.

"Everyone wants to have their best time, and swimming on both teams is just more practice," said Trinidad.

This year that extra practice will simply find three of the area's top competitors swimming in different arenas.

- Cecilia Potts may be reached at 636-0250 or gtsports@gazette.com

The state's best dive back in

Kathy Fosha, Rampart, Seventh, Class 4A state championship

As a member of the diving species, Fosha feels that the few moments of air time before submersion are freedom.

"Diving feels like flying, and it's fun," said Fosha, a senior.

Long before she took to the springboard, she was scaring her parents.

"I used to climb up on the dresser, do a flip and land on the bed," explained Fosha, who attributed her dresser-to-bed acrobatics as the forerunner to her diving.

Fosha has experienced the commonplace fear among divers - hitting the board.

"I was doing this reverse flip, I jumped in the air, and landed back on the board, on my feet," Fosha said.

After landing on the board, she also lost her balance.

In an effort to save the fall, she scraped her legs.

But that one accident hasn't kept her from continuing in the sport.

Katie Anderson, Air Academy, Eighth, Class 4A state championship

Rushing toward anything at a high speed can provoke random thoughts.

Just ask Anderson, a senior member of the diving team.

"I have this sense of flying, but after a few seconds I have to think about landing," explains Anderson, who also admitted to feeling a bit uneasy before every dive.

"Diving is a mental sport and I have to visualize over and over," she said.

Anderson has also been known to spring off park benches and practice her approach on dry land.

And then there is her unusual eating habit, one she shares with her teammates.

"During the season we all eat Saltines, especially after meets," Anderson said.

Paige Lester, Rampart, Ninth, Class 4A state championship

Bend at the knees and then spring. What comes next is a pure adrenaline rush, at least for Lester.

"Diving is a challenge. Getting mentally ready for the thrill can be crazy at times," said the senior, who always eats a cheddar bagel before competing.

As for practicing dives on dry land, Lester is guilty as charged.

"I seem to stand on curbs and pretend to jump. It's sort of a test in balance," she explained.

Lester has also experienced the pain of a failed dive. While flipping a reverse 11/2, she almost hit her head on the board.

"I had a hand on my head and my hand hit the board, hard."

The less-dangerous misses can also prompt some teasing from other divers.

"If someone hits the water with a smack, we kind of poke fun of them," she said.

Of course, it's all done in good humor.

Michelle Ruettinger, Air Academy, 13th, Class 4A state championship