Swimming Player Profiles: Clayton and Elise Atkins
Photo Credit: Carla Gushue
Tristen Johns, Staff Writer
November 18, 2011
Filed under Sports
Countless swimming, pruned hands, the smell of chlorine, yet the thrill of a race won, a time beat, and a beautiful day are some of the thoughts that CCA swimmers will describe to you about their experience on the CCA swim team—the new sport added to the CCA Athletics roster.
There was an array of faces and athletes that decided to pursue this new adventure this year. CCA’s head swim coach, Erin Sayre said with a laugh, that the first day of practice was: “The day that a million kids walked off that bus.” However, “The amount of people that actually stuck with it was surprising for the team’s first year.”
Two swimmers in particular, Elise and Clayton Atkins, are currently set at the top of CCA swimming. Elise’s fastest race is the 100 meter freestyle, with a time of 1 minute and 3 seconds. She is the fastest girl on CCA’s team, but as districts approached, her work ethic continued to heighten. “I want to improve by getting better times and glorifying God through swimming,” said Elise. She has been swimming for two and a half years. Her favorite strokes are the freestyle and backstroke. Elise’s passion for swimming is evoked from the love for being in the water, and the added bonus that, “You don’t feel like your sweating.” Elise also trains with a USA team called SwimFast (this organization is in charge of selecting swimmers for the JR Olympics and Olympics). “Eat, sleep, swim,” said Elise.
Clayton’s fastest race is the 500 meter freestyle with a time of 5 minutes and 29 seconds. Clayton’s performance at the district meet is sure to be a riveting and successful one. Aside from his outstanding times, his swimming is captivating to watch; he is an inspiring swimmer. Clayton has been swimming for two years. “I love swimming because I work hard, but still have fun,” said Clayton. He enjoys the backstroke the most. “My goal is to get a swimming scholarship to college.” Clayton also swims at SwimFast with Elise. “We swim until it hurts,” he said. “And then we swim some more.”