Moniteau’s Reott finds success on her own
CHERRY TWP — When it comes to a support system in the pool, Katie Reott is not alone.
The Moniteau junior just doesn’t have a team to go with it.
For the third successive year, Reott competed in the District 9 Swimming Championships representing Moniteau, though the Warriors do not have a swimming team. And for the third straight year, Reott won district champioships in the 100-yard breaststroke and 50-yard freestyle.
Her coach is her mother, Deborah Reott. The team she practices with, for two hours Monday through Friday, is the Butler YMCA squad. She is a member of that team as well.
She competes at high school meets with Slippery Rock.
“I know a few girls on that (Slippery Rock) team and I’ve gotten to know a few more this year,” Reott said. “I’ve also gotten to know some other independent swimmers at our district meet and have become friends with them.”
Deborah Reott has two older daughters — Josie and Sydney — who also swam as independents for Moniteau. Bailey Trettel did so as well and is now swimming for Saint Francis University.
“Bailey’s mother, Amy, got the whole independent thing started,” Mrs. Reott said. “She talked to our athletic director and had to go through the PIAA to register. Amy coached her daughter and I coached mine. We signed up for meets that way.
“There is a lot of paperwork that’s involved with this.”
Mason Birckbichler, a Moniteau freshman, is also swimming independently this season. He placed third in the 500-yard and 200-yard freestyle events at the District 9 meet, hosted by Clearfield High School.
Mrs. Reott said swimmers from Union, Brockway, Keystone and DuBois Central Catholic also had independent swimmers at the district meet.
“I’ve talked to (Moniteau athletic director) Luke Kunkel about the possibility of forming a co-op with Slippery Rock for swimming,” Mrs. Reott said. “We go to these meets and see girls celebrating together, pulling for each other ... It’d be nice to be part of a team that way.”
Reott swam a personal-best time of 1 minute, 8.06 seconds in winning the 100 breaststroke at districts. Her fastest time in the 50 free is 24.26 seconds. Her winning time at the district meet was 24.54.
She will now compete at the PIAA meet at Bucknell University in two weeks.
“I was 14th there last year in both events,” Reott said of the state meet. “My goal this year is to place among the top eight.”
Reott also hopes to eventually attend Penn State University and swim for the Nittany Lions. Neither of her sisters swims in college.
“Katie is keeping a busy schedule,” her mother and coach said. “This weekend, she is swimming with the Butler Y team at SPIRE Institute in Ohio. After the state meet at Bucknell the following weekend, she will swim in York at the YMCA state meet, then head to Greenville (N.C.) for the USA Nationals.”
“I wanted to swim and compete in high school, but knew we didn’t have a team,” Reott said. “I’m just happy there’s a way to do it.”
