The graceful dive in the air. The forceful dive off the block. Spinning through the air. The kicking and pulling through the water. That’s what diving and swimming is. The will to compete. The love for winning. The competitiveness. It’s all for one goal. State.
The girls Liberty North swim and dive team has three qualifiers for state so far this year. Senior swimmer Kirsten Parks and the diving Engelman twins, Hannah and Alberta. Alberta is a third time returning diver while Hannah is a two time returning diver and this is Kirsten’s third year at state.
Swimmers and divers put a lot of pressure on themselves to compete well.
“There was a lot of relief and I was just really happy to get it when I did,” Parks said.
Parks qualified at prelims of Varsity KC Classic and then improved her time at prelims.
“It felt really good to get back there again and I had been really close all season, like twenty points. It was reverse week and I knew if I qualified, I would be that week and I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Alberta Engelman said.
Starting at the beginning of the season, each week you have to do a dive based on the direction of the week. Reverse week is the fifth week of ever season.
“It felt good to know that last year wasn’t a fluke and that I actually deserved it,” Hannah Engelman said.
Making state not only is a relief but a mark of accomplishment.
For Parks being the only swimmer to make state so far, her practices continue to look the same while everyone else has begun to tapper for conference.
“I’m not tapering yet so practices are still hard for me,” Parks said.
Parks has qualified in the 100-back and is less than a second away in the 200-IM.
“I am working on my transitions and my turns to get off the wall faster. I am less than a second away in IM.”
State is on February 21st and 22nd at Rec-Plex, St.Peter’s, MO . The qualifiers will continue working hard to meet their goals for state. The will to compete. The love for winning. The competitiveness. It’s all for one goal. State.