In her fifth year as a member of the varsity swimming and diving team, senior Co-captain Allie Wildstein looks to leave her mark on the program.
After starting competitive swimming at six years old, Wildstein has been in the pool for almost 12 years. In her time at KO, Wildstein has swam every single event for the team. She specializes in the 500m freestyle and the 100m backstroke. This season, she has found herself swimming the 200m IM, which is a unique race where the swimmer competes in all four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle).
When you participate in a sport for so long, you begin to perfect your training rituals. “I train best when I am laughing and enjoying the sets with my friends,” Wildstein said. A healthy and well-organized practice schedule always helps maximize performance too. “We’re usually in the pool for about an hour and a half to two hours a day,” Wildstein said. “We usually warm up, do a few main sets and then cool down and then I tend to stretch when I get home.”
Wildstein believes in the importance of practice and learning to love what you’re doing. “I believe that practice is a time to learn and grow,” Wildstein said. “It’s not about being the fastest but practicing good technique and having fun. I believe that you can only do well when you’re having fun.”
To Wildstein, the best part of swimming has always been the meets and championships. “Competing is so fun and seeing the girls around me grow and drop time is so amazing,” Wildstein said. “The best part of the meets is definitely the people because we all support each other and cheer.”
Wildstein has done a lot of reflecting during her last year as a captain and member of the team. She’s most proud of the swimmers and divers’ ability to overcome adversity. “My time with the KO swim team has been cherished,” Wildstein said. “I wish nothing but the best for the team in the seasons to come and can’t wait to finish out the season with the current team.” She also acknowledged the Head Coaches Kata Baker and Alex Kraus as well as Assistant Coaches Megan Farrell and Bill Martino. “[They] have all had huge impacts on my life, as teachers and coaches,” Wildstein said, “I can’t put into words how thankful I am for them.”
Wildstein had a few words to share with the younger members of the team. “Don’t lose sight of the fun,” Wildstein said. “Swimming is a fun sport and if you really like it, don’t let the long practice and sometimes draining meets bring you down. It’s a long season already, and during the winter, it’s hard to get caught up in the craziness of school and life. Use swimming as a time to clear your head and be with your friends. I always have and always will.”
Wildstein looks forward to seeing what the team accomplishes in the rest of the regular season and is excited for the possibility of postseason competition.
