Legends of the Fall
From the gridiron to the pool and everywhere in between, these star student-athletes are primed to make this a memorable high school sports season in Central Florida.
Ivan Taylor, West Orange Football
A senior defensive back, Taylor was one of the most highly recruited players in the country at his position and is committed to defending national champion Michigan. He recorded 45 tackles, four forced fumbles and an interception as a junior and will also contribute at running back in his final season with the Warriors.
OFM: Has it sunk in yet that this is your senior season at West Orange?
IT: Yes sir, it has. I’ve had plenty of great memories and I’m also glad to move on to the next chapter of my life.
OFM: Are you confident heading into the season that the team can have a bounce-back year after finishing 3-7 in 2023?
IT: Yes sir. I think we have great senior leadership and I think if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to prove a lot of people wrong. We’re just going game by game and not looking [ahead]. We’re going to see what we can improve with each game.
OFM: Do you have any particular goals for yourself?
IT: Just staying healthy, that’s my biggest thing. Having fun and enjoying myself for my senior season.
OFM: Obviously, you have a bright future ahead of you, but what has it meant to you to play high school football in Florida, where there is so much talent and interest in the sport?
IT: It’s meant everything. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the country. I think Florida is the best state for football and I feel like I’m playing at the highest level I can be playing.
OFM: Have you always focused on defense since you got to high school?
IT: Yes sir, but I’ve been getting a lot of offensive reps this season at running back. … It makes it fun, playing both sides of the ball. Defense is so much fun and offense is fun as well. It’s a good combination.
OFM: I know you’re going to focus on defense at the next level. Do you see yourself playing safety in college?
IT: I feel I can play anywhere on the field. You can put me at safety, you can put me at nickel, you can put me at corner, and I feel like I’m going to dominate and do what I need to do.
OFM: What made you commit to Michigan after originally committing to Notre Dame?
IT: God helped me make my decision and my parents were all in on what I wanted to do and what I thought about the program. It was honestly just the coaches and the gut feeling I had. Coach [Chris] O’Leary was the Notre Dame [defensive backs] coach, and it kind of hurt when he went to the Chargers [in the NFL]. So I started to explore my options and Michigan is what I liked best.
OFM: Are you ready for the cold weather?
IT: Yes sir. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., so I’ve been in the cold and I love the cold.
OFM: Do you know what you want to study?
IT: I want to study broadcasting. I just love talking about sports in general and breaking down film. I think being in that department will be fun.
OFM: Do you play any other sports or has it always been just football?
IT: I used to play baseball, I played soccer, I did track. Once I got to high school, I just focused on football.
OFM: How has your dad, Ike, who won two Super Bowls as a cornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, influenced your career?
IT: My dad has been through it all. The recruitment was kind of new to him since he was a walk-on at Louisiana Lafayette, but he knows what it’s like to put the work in and to put the hours in. I’ve just been trying to do what I needed to do and be like him as much as I can and can be.
OFM: Has your mom been a big support system as well?
IT: Yes sir. Without my mom, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. She’s helped me a lot with school, with football. Anything I need, she’s always there for me.
OFM: Do you remember your dad as a player?
IT: Yes sir, I remember him as a player.
OFM: Do you remember going to the Super Bowl?
IT: No sir, I was a little too young to remember that.
OFM: Do you dream about getting to the NFL yourself, or are you just focused on what’s in front of you?
IT: It’s definitely a dream to play in the NFL, but whatever God wants me to do, I’m going to do it. I trust God and what he’s going to do for me. I’m going to go to college and do what I need to do, and if God has a plan for me, I’m going to trust it.
OFM: What do you like about living in Central Florida?
IT: You never get bored. There’s always something to do, there’s always new attractions, there’s always new food to try. There’s Downtown Orlando, there’s Disney, there’s Universal, there’s food spots. It’s always busy.
OFM: What are your hobbies outside of football?
IT: I actually stay in a lot now. I’m taking FLVS now so I can graduate early, and that’s school online. So I’ve been focusing on that. I just hang out with friends and play the game, and that’s about it.
OFM: Your plan is to head to Michigan in January?
IT: Yes sir.
OFM: What are you going to miss about West Orange?
IT: I’ll say the culture and the community. I just love being around my coaches, my teammates, my classmates. The whole process was just a great time and I’ve created so many memories at West Orange.
OFM: Do you have a routine or a ritual heading into a big game?
IT: I’ll watch some clips of football players like Sean Taylor, my dad, Ed Reed. I try to get in that mode and that type of mentality. Then I’ll listen to Drake, I’ll listen to Lil Baby, those types of artists to get ready for the game.
OFM: As a Steelers guy, I’m surprised to hear you mention Ed Reed, a Raven.
IT: I know, but he’s still one of the greatest of all time and you have to put him in that category.
OFM: Do you root for the Steelers?
IT: Yes sir, I do, but I don’t really watch the NFL that much. I’m more of a college guy.
Larielle Tharps, East River Girls Bowling
Tharps’ remarkable freshman season included a 202 game average and a district championship, and she helped East River claim the state title for the first time in program history. Also a stellar tournament bowler, she captured a national crown last summer to earn a spot on the 2024 Junior USA Development Team.
OFM: What did it mean to you to be part of school history last year by winning the state championship?
LT: It was something special. It was my first year on the team, my first year of high school, and I didn’t really know what to expect. To go in there and be able to win with that team was amazing. Emily was a senior and it was her last year, and they hadn’t made it that far before, so I was so glad I was able to be part of that win for her.
OFM: Most of the team is back, so what are your expectations for this season?
LT: There are a lot of good teams that we bowl against, and some of those teams lost kids as well, so it seems like everyone is an on equal playing field. I feel like we can get back there and maybe win another state title.
OFM: Do you have any individual goals?
LT: I would like to try to make top 16 [at states]. I was close last year but I fell a little bit short. I would like to do that and see if I can go win an individual state title.
OFM: How did you first get interested in bowling in the first place?
LT: My whole family bowled, so I was at the bowling alley a lot. My sister [Brielle Dean] went off to college on a bowling scholarship and we had to travel to watch her. The more I watched her, the more I started getting into bowling. I started trying it myself and I fell in love with it.
OFM: Who wins when you and your sister play now?
LT: It’s a close match. Either of us could win.
OFM: What a great accomplishment to win a national title last year. What did that mean to you?
LT: It was really big because I competed in the event two years before and I came in second. To be able to go back and win it all was really special.
OFM: What’s it like to bowl in that environment with all of those people and facing the best bowlers in the country in your age group? Is there a lot of pressure?
LT: Yes, there’s a lot of pressure. This year, I think there were 400 girls I was competing against. There’s a lot of great bowlers from across the country, so it’s a lot of pressure.
OFM: How did you do this year?
LT: I finished third, so not too bad.
OFM: Is it fun to travel to different places for bowling?
LT: It is. Bowling is probably the one thing I do that helps me travel. It’s nice to see the different states and the attractions in each state.
OFM: What are some of the other places you’ve been, other than Indianapolis last year and Detroit this year?
LT: I went to Texas for Team USA Development Camp in June, I went to Pennsylvania for High School Nationals, and I bowl a lot of tournaments in South Carolina and Louisiana.
OFM: How was the Team USA experience?
LT: We went to Texas for … three days and we got to train with a lot of the best coaches in the world, so it was really great. I enjoyed being able to bowl in the International Training Center, that was really cool.
OFM: What do you like about growing up in Florida?
LT: I like being close to all of the amusement parks, like SeaWorld and Disney.
OFM: Do you have a favorite bowling alley in the area?
LT: Probably Boardwalk.
OFM: How far do you want to take bowling?
LT: I would like to bowl in college and maybe be able to bowl at some of the women’s professional events in the future.
OFM: What’s it going to take to get to that point?
LT: It’s going to take a lot of practice, and a lot of physical and mental [strength]. It’s going to take a lot, but the more I practice and train those things, it can be possible.
OFM: How often do you bowl?
LT: I bowl at least four or five times a week.
OFM: What else do you do for fun?
LT: I like to paint, bake, and I try to play a little bit of basketball and volleyball, but it’s not really my thing.
OFM: What do you like about going to school at East River?
LT: I like all the people, the teachers, making new friends. It’s a good environment.
OFM: Do you have a favorite subject?
LT: I love math.
OFM: What kind of career would you like to have if bowling doesn’t work out?
LT: I kind of want to go into law and be a lawyer potentially.
Kierstin Bevelle, Lake Highland Prep Girls Volleyball
A senior outside hitter, Bevelle collected 282 kills, 248 digs and 40 aces as a junior to help the Highlanders go 23-8 and reach the 3A state semifinals for the second year in a row. She is committed to Florida Atlantic.
OFM: Are you excited for your senior season?
KB: I am super excited. I can’t wait to get in the gym every day; I love seeing everybody.
OFM: What’s your outlook for this season after reaching the state semifinals for two straight years?
KB: That was bittersweet but I think we can get even farther. I think [coach Katie Gallagher] has put together a great group of girls. I’ve played with some of them since I transferred here my sophomore year. We have an amazing chance of making it to states and winning states.
OFM: Do you have any individual goals?
KB: I would say just getting better as a player to move on to college, because obviously that’s the end goal. I want to make all of my coaches happy with the way I play, and I would say growing my toolbox as a hitter would also be a personal goal.
OFM: You see like a player who affects the game in many different ways. Is it important to you to be well rounded?
KB: Definitely. As a person, I like to put my team first, so even if I’m having a bad day, I think about how that affects everybody else. So I like keeping a smile on my face all the time. And if I’m not doing good hitting or putting away a ball, I’m helping with first contact, serving and serve receive.
OFM: When did you start playing volleyball?
KB: I started in eighth grade. I was in gym class and my gym teacher saw how I was doing in an open gym. She thought I would do good in club and she had friends who were coaches at OTVA, so she called them and got me on a team.
OFM: Did you fall in love with it pretty quickly after that?
KB: I fell in love with it as soon as I touched the ball. My coach made it love it even more; she was definitely a great first coach.
OFM: Do you play any other sports?
KB: I played soccer for about five years and after that I played flag football for about two years because my brother played football and got me into it. But that’s when I got into club and started focusing on volleyball.
OFM: What did you like about the volleyball program and the school that led to you committing to Florida Atlantic?
KB: I would say what really brought me to that school was the coaches, because I would like to end my career in the pros or maybe the Olympics. [Head coach Fernanda Nelson] has a winning attitude and that really led me to the school, because I’m a competitive person and I don’t like losing. She made me want to come there for those reasons. I also like the location, because being in Florida I like being near the beaches. There’s sunny weather, I like the scenery and the beach is only 1.5 miles away. When I got to meet the girls, we all bonded quickly and I enjoyed spending time with them.
OFM: Do you know what you want to study in college?
KB: The main thing I want to go for is entrepreneurship, because my dad majored in that and I really want to follow him.
OFM: Have you been watching Olympic volleyball this summer?
KB: I definitely have. The volleyball and the gymnastics are really fun to watch.
OFM: Do you play beach volleyball at all?
KB: I haven’t, because I’ve been focusing more on my indoor skills and my academics, but my coaches are starting to get me into it because it will open up my shots. I think I’m going to do it senior year.
OFM: What do you like about going to school at Lake Highland Prep?
KB: I went to Apopka High School before transferring here my sophomore year. It was a big difference. There are so many things [I love about Lake Highland Prep]. The main thing is the support system, because before this I went to a big public school with 4,000 people and they couldn’t focus on you like they do at Lake Highland, which has 900 people. That was really helpful and it made me want to stay here and continue my academics. … They taught me how to study and prep for college. The other thing is the people. My volleyball team let me with sit with them as soon as I got here and they introduced me to their friends, and that made me love this school.
OFM: Have you always lived in Florida?
KB: Yes, I was born and raised here. I love the weather; I can’t do cold. I don’t like how it’s kind of bi-polar and rains every day, but I love how it’s hot and close to the beach. There are lots of fun things to do here. When I’ve visited other states, there’s not as much to do, but here it’s endless.
OFM: What do you do for fun when you’re not playing volleyball?
KB: Honestly, I’m always playing volleyball. But when I’m not, I’m kind of a singer. I haven’t explored it too much, but I’ve been in recitals and plays. … I also played the keyboard for a while. Other than that, volleyball is my life.
Samantha Lorey, Bishop Moore Girls Cross Country
Last fall, Lorey set a school record for the girls cross country program with a 5K time of 18:40.1, and she posted third-place finishes at districts and regions before taking 15th at states. Also a standout in the mile and two-mile for the Bishop Moore track team, she is looking forward to a big senior year.
OFM: Are you excited for your final season at Bishop Moore?
SL: I’m super excited. I’m feeling really good about it.
OFM: Has it sunk in yet that this is your senior year?
SL: It honestly hasn’t. Our schedule came out and one of the meets is Senior Night, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s me—that’s my Senior Night.’ It’s crazy. It’s flown by.
OFM: After a successful year in cross country and track as a junior, do you have any particular goals for this year?
SL: Absolutely. As far as cross country goes, I’m looking to go in the low 18:20s, which would be an over-20 second PR for me. I’m going into the season with a really good mental attitude because I feel that running is very mental, almost more than it is physical. I’ve been doing a lot of mental work and setting goals. I’ve been making note cards and putting them in places where I can see them all the time, like in my bathroom or my car, stuff like that. I’m hoping by track season to be committed somewhere for college. I’m looking forward to the recruiting process, even though it can be kind of stressful, and I’m looking forward to talking to coaches and seeing what [school] would be a good fit for me. It’s definitely hard to make a big decision like that but I’m really looking forward to the whole process.
OFM: Do you plan on running both in college, cross country and track?
SL: Definitely. I can’t say I like one more than the other and I definitely want to do both. I have an idea in mind of what I want in a college so that’s helpful going into it.
OFM: What did it mean to you to enter the school record books last year? Did you know at the time that you set the record or did you find out later?
SL: That was probably my favorite experience that I ever had in cross country. My freshman year, I actually broke the school record, but the next week it got broken again by another girl on my team, who is now graduated. When she got it, I was obviously super happy for her, but I knew it was something I wanted to get back and something I knew I could get back. Last season, we were at a race in Georgia and the boys’ race was first, and they were all doing well: They pretty much all went out at PR pace and they all had significant personal bests by the end of the race. So next up was the girls’ race, and my hope was to go sub-19, because I hadn’t done that the whole season. I wasn’t really looking for the school record, which at the time was 18:42. … But I was in good shape in mid-season and I knew what I was capable of. When I crossed the line, it was hard to tell if I set the school record, but some parents came up to me with the results page and they were like, ‘You set the school record.’ It was a surreal moment. It was something I had worked for and I felt that my hard work had paid off, but also I knew that I wasn’t finished yet. Going into this season, I see it as me against myself, and I want to break junior year Samantha’s school record.
OFM: Did you sister Emma, who also ran for Bishop Moore, have a big influence on you getting into the sport?
SL: Absolutely. During seventh grade is when COVID hit and my sister was a senior in high school at the time. It happened in the middle of her track season, so she didn’t know if she was going to go back to track. Obviously, there was that two-week point where everyone was like, ‘Are we going back to school?’ So she was still training just in case she was able to finish her senior season, and my whole family would go outside when she was doing her runs. I said, ‘Maybe I should try that. What else is there to do?’ So that’s how I got into it. Also, seeing her run in college has really been influential to me. It has proven to me that this is what I want. There are ups and downs to running in college, but having a sibling who has done it is a big help. I’ve been to her meets, I’ve talked to her after practices, and I know that not every race is a good one. That will help me a lot in the recruiting process because I have a little more insight into what it’s really like.
OFM: Where did she go to college?
SL: She went to Lafayette College for four years and now she’s competing for her fifth year at Maryland.
OFM: What are some of the qualities you’re looking for in a college?
SL: To be honest, I’m kind of looking to go out of Florida. I think I’m a very adventurous person and I want to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve lived in Florida since I was born and I want to get away from what I’ve known my whole life. I want a change of scenery, something different, probably somewhere up north. I love the seasons and I think it would be really cool to experience something different. I definitely am hoping to compete at the Division I level, but all of my options are open. … As far as the size of the school, I don’t have a particular size in mind. That’s another helpful thing about my sister: Lafayette is a small school and I got to see her experience there, and now she’s at Maryland, which is obviously a much bigger school. So I’m able to see the pros and cons and get a secondhand experience through her.
OFM: Do you know what you want to major in?
SL: I do not know what I want to major in yet, but I think potentially something in engineering could probably be an interest. I can’t honestly say I have my mind set on anything at the moment.
OFM: What do you like about growing up in Florida?
SL: Obviously, during the summer the conditions are not ideal for training as far as the heat and humidity. But some of my family is here, so it’s nice to be able to connect with them. I love the beach, so it’s nice to be around that too. But I’m excited to go somewhere new and see what that’s like. I was in California last week and it was beautiful. It made me realize that I want to travel more and that I want to go somewhere totally different for college.
OFM: What are some of your favorite hobbies?
SL: I like to play pickleball and go to the beach with my friends. Before I decided to start running competitively, I actually played basketball for a really long time, since I was in first grade, so playing basketball is something I like to do for fun. I played freshman and sophomore year of high school, but this past year I decided I should put all of my energy into running, especially if I wanted to have a good track season. My freshman and sophomore year, I went right from cross country to basketball to track, and I think having time between cross country and track is really important for strength and cross training, for setting goals, and also for giving your body a rest. … I felt like I needed the winter season to catch my breath and get my goals together for track.
OFM: Do you have a certain routine heading into a big race?
SL: Races are different than practices, obviously, but I like to treat races just like a practice. … I don’t like to put a lot of pressure on myself; I like to just go out and run and not think about it. The night before a race, any mental preparation I’m doing is just visualizing my goals and crossing the finish line in a certain time. Sometimes they do videos of the course we’re running, where they just drive through it, and I like to watch those too if they’re available, so I know what’s coming. I also have a pre-race meal: The night before, I always have salmon, rice and broccoli. I always have my bag packed the night before too, because preparation is important and that gives me more time to collect myself before the race. We’re on the bus sometimes by 5 a.m. and a lot of people go to sleep, but I actually think that’s a good time for me to get my thoughts together and remember what I want from the race, and remember that it’s going to hurt. No race is ever going to feel easy and it’s never going to feel good, except when you cross the line and finally reach your goal. Mental preparation is the most that I do, because running is so mental. Your body is telling you to quit and there’s a thousand different voices in your head saying, ‘Maybe I should slow down.’ So mental preparation is the most prevalent in any ritual I have.
Nathan Frette, Lake Buena Vista Boys Diving
Frette became the first state champion in the brief history of Lake Buena Vista’s athletic program when he captured the diving crown as a sophomore, and he repeated the feat last year as a junior. The highly recruited senior is looking to make it three state titles in a row before embarking on his college career.
OFM: Are you excited for your senior season?
NF: Yes, I am. It’s my last year of high school. It feels like just yesterday that it was my freshman year.
OFM: You’ve had a lot of success already in your high school career. Is it important to you to earn another state title?
NF: I think a third state championship is something I have to work for, obviously, but I think I can get it.
OFM: What does it mean to you to be part of establishing the tradition at a new school like Lake Buena Vista?
NF: It was actually a really good feeling. I wasn’t thinking about how the school is brand-new and nobody had ever won a state championship there, but coming in and being the first one was super cool.
OFM: You didn’t move to Florida until high school, right?
NF: Yes. Before that I was in Texas and that’s where I really got my diving down. It’s only been progressing here in Florida.
OFM: Was it difficult to move and leave your friends behind, or were you excited to live in a new state?
NF: It was both tough and exciting with new opportunities. I was excited to see what Florida holds and to live here, but I was also sad to leave a lot of my friends back in Texas. But I still visit them quite frequently so it’s pretty nice.
OFM: What do you like about living in the Orlando area?
NF: I like how there’s beaches close on both sides, and sometimes I go to Universal or Disney. Also, the weather here is beautiful. I love it.
OFM: How did you first get into diving?
NF: I was about 5 years old and my parents were signing me up for a bunch of different sports. I forget how it happened exactly, but they signed me up for diving because it was close to gymnastics, which I had done before. I started doing it and I loved it, so I continued doing it.
OFM: What do you love about the sport?
NF: I’ve always loved thrills, whether I’m on a roller coaster or doing whatever. So being able to jump off a diving board, do flips and fall into the water is very nerve-wracking and scary, but once you do it, it’s the coolest feeling ever. The adrenaline is amazing.
OFM: Have you been following along with the Olympic diving?
NF: I have except for the past three days, because I’ve been busy with nationals. I heard that Carson Tyler placed fourth in the men’s 3-meter, which is pretty good. The Chinese always win for every single competition in diving, because it’s basically their full-time job. Watching them is pretty spectacular.
OFM: Are you able to borrow anything when you watch the Olympic divers?
NF: Everyone is always updating what they do in diving. For example, there’s a thing called crow hopping on a platform, which is where you do a mini tiny balance before you actually get into your full jump and dive. No one used to do that until they saw Chinese people doing it, and now every single diver does it. There’s a recent thing where they’re bending their toes in their tuck, because it gives them a little more speed. Most divers don’t do this because the points when you don’t point your toes are pretty vague. Until you’re at that high level and you need the extra speed for four flips, that’s when you might want to consider that.
OFM: Do you strive to be an Olympian someday?
NF: For sure. I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics, and with four more years until the next one, I feel like I have a pretty strong chance if I put my mind to it and get to a good school with a good coach. I think it would be pretty fun. It’s my goal and I hope it comes to fruition.
OFM: Are you still deciding on college?
NF: Yes. We’re still looking at schools and we’ll see how that goes. I have a 4.5 GPA, so now I just need to take the SAT and I’ll be ready. I’m looking for a good team that builds each other up and has a lot of fun at the same time. I don’t want to feel like I’m going to work every day, but rather feels like a fun team where everyone is trying to get better together. I’m also looking for a good coach who can give me the advice I need and the workouts to get me to the next level.
OFM: How was your experience at nationals recently?
NF: Well, I rolled my foot on the board about a month ago, so I only had five or maybe six practices before the national meet, which is not a lot. Every other diver had at least 30 practices. But I still went and did my best with my hurt foot. I took 32nd, which doesn’t sound that good, but 32nd best in the entire country is pretty good.
OFM: Where was the national meet held?
NF: It was in West Virginia. I went with my coach because my whole family had Lyme disease, so sadly, this was the first meet where none of my family could watch me. Despite everything against me, I did my best. I can definitely do better, but for the circumstances I was under, I feel like I did pretty good.
OFM: Have you traveled a lot through the sport?
NF: Oh yeah, I’ve traveled all over the country. I haven’t traveled internationally yet, but I’m thinking about doing international competitions soon. I’ve been all over Texas, all over Florida, all over Georgia, West Virginia, New York, and a bunch of other states I can’t even name. I’ve been pretty much everywhere.
OFM: What do you do for fun when you get a break from training?
NF: To be honest, I never really get a break from training. I’m always working and getting better. Right now, I have a little bit of a break after nationals, and I’m just hanging out with friends and my girlfriend. Sometimes we go to the beach, but not too much. My life is mainly diving.
OFM: I heard that you’re into cliff diving as well.
NF: Oh yeah, I love that when I get the chance. There’s this super cool cliff-diving facility that just got built in Fort Lauderdale and you see all of these pro cliff divers going up there. One meet when I wasn’t injured, I went up there and they actually let me dive off the 15-meter, which is halfway to the max that Red Bull cliff divers do. It was pretty fun and I met a bunch of cool cliff divers. Whenever I have free time, I love doing that.
OFM: That takes a lot of guts. Do you get nervous for that?
NF: Oh yeah. My first time up there, I was horrified to jump off. But I was like, ‘I only have one chance to live.’ Almost every diver has a little bit of a fear of heights and there’s a feeling of anxiety when we go up there. But the fact that we know what we’re doing is what gives us the motivation to jump off anyways.
Arianna Wertheim, Boone Girls Swimming
Wertheim was the 4A state champion in the 500 freestyle and took third in the 200 free, and she was also the region champ in both events during a sensational junior season. The senior will continue to set high goals before continuing her career at Kentucky.
OFM: I understand that you’ve done quite a bit of traveling lately.
AW: Yes. The week before last I was at a swim meet, and last week I was in Greece for vacation. We went to a bunch of places and it was nice, but I was really happy to come home.
OFM: Last year was obviously a great one for you with the high school team. Are you excited to get back and see what you can accomplish as a senior?
AW: I’m really excited, especially since I won one event last year [at states]. I’m excited to go back and try to win the 500 again and possibly win another event.
OFM: What did it mean to you to become a state champion?
AW: It meant a lot. I was surprised, to say the least, when I got it. It kind of came out of the blue because I wasn’t even going to swim the 500 last year. I was contemplating swimming the 500 or the 200 IM, but then I swam a really good 500 in October so I was like, ‘I guess I’ll do that.’ From districts to regionals to states, I just kept dropping time, and I realized, ‘I might actually have a chance to win this.’ It was really crazy when I won it.
OFM: So the 500 is not necessarily your best race?
AW: I would have considered the 200 my best race at this time last year, but after states, now I think it’s the 200 and the 500.
OFM: The 500 is obviously a long race. Is it a mental challenge just as much as a physical one?
AW: It’s definitely mental. My biggest thing is getting to the halfway mark, and after that it gets better for me. I’m like, ‘I just have 250 left, it’s fine.’ And then it gets to 200, and I do that all the time. The beginning of the longer races is the hardest part for me.
OFM: Do you like swimming the relays as well?
AW: Yeah, I do. I swim more relays with my club team than I do with my high school team, but I like leading off the relays if I can. If not, I just like giving my team the best possible chance of winning.
OFM: How long have you been swimming?
AW: I started when I was 11, so about six years now. My dad would swim at the YMCA here, and my mom always tells me that one day I said, ‘Can I go and swim with Dad?’ So they put me in recreational swimming and then I got into competitive and just kept doing it.
OFM: What do you love about the sport?
AW: I like that it’s an individual sport, so if you mess up it’s all on you, or if you do great it’s on you. In other sports, like if someone messes up in volleyball, you can get really mad at other people. I like that swimming is mainly about the effort you’re putting in. But I also like the teammates I’m surrounded by, because we all have the same goal and it’s fun to go to practice and talk to them. I love being around swimmers; it’s just easy to talk to them because we have a lot in common.
OFM: Did you compete in a lot of events this summer with your club team?
AW: I swam at sectionals and I swam in a few other meets. I also went to junior nationals at California-Irvine about two weeks ago. It was great but it was very new to me because it was a national championship and there were a bunch of college swimmers there. That was the biggest meet I’ve ever been to: It goes junior nationals, nationals and then Olympic trials. It was very cool because I got to see some of the people who are going to the college I verbally committed to, so I got to talk to them, and I got to talk to the head coach too. It was a very fun experience.
OFM: What led to your decision to commit to Kentucky?
AW: I like the people that I’ll be surrounded with. I also like the dorm rooms, which are really great. [Laughs] That sounds bad but you get your own room, which is nice. I like that they have their own athletic trainers and they have almost everything you need to be successful in the athletic department. I also really like the head coach, who seems very supportive. He seems like he believes in me and really wants me on the team.
OFM: Do you know what you want to major in?
AW: No, not yet. I’m interested in engineering and I also like business, because it’s very broad and you can branch out in your second year and focus on marketing or something else. But I’m not too sure right now.
OFM: Did you follow the Olympic swimming this summer?
AW: A little bit. I saw that Torri Huske won the 100 fly. I’ve been following a little bit but not as much as I probably should have.
OFM: What do you like about growing up in the Orlando area?
AW: There are a bunch of theme parks here, which is really nice. It’s always sunny for the most part, and you can always expect it to rain around 2 or 3 o’clock, which is nice because we need the rain. I like going to Universal and Disney and I like going on roller coasters.
OFM: Do you have a favorite?
AW: I like the VelociCoaster the best.
OFM: Are you nervous about leaving Florida for college?
AW: I think everybody gets a little nervous about leaving home, but I think I’ll be fine at Kentucky. It will be a big change, especially in the winter, but there are other Florida people doing it so I think I can do it too.
