Training with the very best
JACKSON TWP — The end of her freshman season was a turning point for Sophia Gaguzis.
The current junior at Seneca Valley had been swimming competitively for years, but it was in March 2015 when she began putting extra effort into the sport.
“I was at the WPIAL championship meet,” she said. “I swam the 200 (individual medley) and the 100 freestyle. I didn’t medal, but I swam my best time in both events and remember thinking, ‘Wow, this could really be something here if I stay focused.’”
The latest result of Gaguzis’ commitment was her selection for the Allegheny Mountain Swimming Elite Training Camp in Coronado, Calif.
She was one of 10 AMS female swimmers chosen for the camp, which is the equivalent to a similar event held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Gaguzis was selected based on her performance in league meets last season while competing for the Seneca Valley Swim Club.
“The camp lasted four days (Nov. 25-28) and it was pretty exhausting,” she said. “We had two swim workouts per day, going back and forth between long course and short course. We also did some dry land workouts. I was pretty beat, but am very grateful for the experience. We went to the San Diego Zoo and spent some time at the beach. I like meeting different swimmers from different clubs. I made some great friends.”
Gaguzis is now working on making the most out of her junior season for the Raiders.
Brian Blackwell is her coach both in club and varsity and has seen her combine talent and a strong work ethic.
“She’s made steady progress,” he said. “You can see that she has matured and continues to get more and more serious about swimming.”
Gaguzis said she keeps her swimming goals in the back of her mind. “I know what I want to accomplish,” she related. “It helps keep me going.”
That includes some lofty aspirations in the short term.
“I want to win at WPIALs in the 100 freestyle,” said Gaguzis, who placed fourth in the event at districts last March with a time of 52.62 seconds. She also looks forward to competing at the state meet as an individual for the second straight year. As a sophomore, she swam in the 100 freestyle and on two relays at Bucknell University.
“The state meet is pretty intense,” she said. “It’s eye-opening to see all the fast swimmers from across the state. It makes you want to work harder and I definitely want to swim in college.”
