@prospectswimanddive

Prospect Swimmers pose for a picture for the team’s Instagram page.

Junior Gracie Zimmer pulled herself out of the water, tears pooling in her eyes as she watched the time flash on the screen: 59.64.  

After pushing herself throughout all her high school years, Zimmer has finally seen her hard work pay off. Completing her 100 meter backstroke race at IHSA Girls’ Sectionals on Nov. 8 was a monumental moment for both herself and the Prospect girls’ swim team. This sub-minute time broke the previous school record, one that’s been standing for nearly 25 years.

“I was bawling for nearly 10 minutes,” Zimmer said. “I was just so happy. The amount of relief that I had was incredible. Getting that achievement was just so relieving.”

Zimmer’s other event, the 200 medley relay, also beat a historic record at IHSA Sectionals. A time of 1:47.78 got them fifth place in the meet and broke Prospect’s 200 medley relay record. Zimmer’s teammates, sophomore Emerson Jones, senior Karla Baird, and senior Diana Gruszeczka all saw tremendous personal growth to allow for this achievement.

“It’s exciting for the program to know that kids are sharing the pool with other kids [that] they can look up and say ‘oh, those kids broke a record and I practice with them every day,’” head coach Alfonso Lopez said. “We’ve told our younger swimmers that these girls used to be in your shoes and they made their way to that. It’s not as far-fetched as you think it to be.”

Lopez credits these achievements to the hard work and dedication of his team. From grueling practices and competitive meets, these four girls have stuck together. Their achievements and love of the sport make them ideal role models for the younger students.

“I love the sport. Honestly, I’m a little bit addicted,” Zimmer said. “I don’t know what I’d do without it. I hope to inspire the incoming freshmen, [and] there’s no stopping point.”

Swimming can be a stressful sport; the pressure to succeed in meets makes the sport both physically and mentally challenging. Luckily for these girls, they have their teammates to help pull them up. 

“You really need the support of other people if you want to succeed.” Gruszeczka said, “You can’t do it alone. If there are people that are willing to help, you take their help. That kind of support helps you get over that mental block.”

Resilience through hard times is one of the greatest challenges in swimming. However, it becomes one of the greatest assets for those who can overcome the obstacle. The ability to continue no matter how hard times can get is one of the biggest lessons to be learned from a sport like this.

When Gruszeczka was swimming the 100 butterfly during her freshman year at sectionals, her shoulder dislocated during the third lap. She was one stroke away from the wall when she popped it back into place during her turn, finishing the race against all odds.

“That race was such an eye opener. I had so much shoulder pain before and I hit a limit,” Gruszeczka said. “It’s changed the way I swim at practice and it’s changed me as an athlete.”

Along with hard work and dedication, swimming teaches lessons in leadership. For Gruszeczka, this has been especially true as the team captain. 

“I feel like a lot of people think leadership is when you point in a direction and everybody follows.” Gruszeczka said, “They think it means helping people choose the right path, but I’ve noticed it’s more about listening to people, hearing what they need.” 

As she said in her end-of-year captain’s speech, “It’s giving piggyback rides to some and only holding the hand of others.”

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