York-area teens will swim at U.S. Olympic Trials
Kacey Oberlander remembers her last time swimming at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She recalls being a scared 14-year-old, swimming in the same pool as Olympic gold medalists.
"I had never been that nervous for one race in my entire life," Oberlander said.
When asked to describe the feeling, she paused.
"Honestly ... it felt like I was going to throw up," she said. " I never want to be that scared again."
Four years later, she feels prepared for another trip to the U.S. trials: "I'm more excited now than nervous."
Oberlander is one of a quartet of teenagers from the current York YMCA swimming team headed to U.S. trials from Sunday through July 3 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The site of the 2008 and 2012 trials will once again feature a temporary pool with an estimated 18,300 in attendance, with the face value of tickets originally ranging from $350 to $1,100.
West York's Courtney Harnish, Manchester's Leah Braswell, Maryland's Meghan Small and Oberlander will all compete at the biggest swimming event in the nation this year. Training under Michael Brooks at the York YMCA, the four swimmers are the latest in what has become a youth swimming pipeline. Former York YMCA swimmers Brandon Flynn (Dallastown) at the University of Kentucky and Hali Flickinger (Spring Grove) at the University of Georgia have also posted multiple qualifying times for the trials.
But even now, after all the training hours and overseas trips, York YMCA swimmers occasionally run into someone who doesn't see the big picture.
"People really don’t understand," recalled Harnish, who will begin her senior year at West York High School in August. "Meghan Small told me today she recently met someone who asked her about her next meet."
Small told them she was headed to the Olympic trials.
Where's that?
Omaha, Nebraska.
Whoa, that's far away, isn't it?
Eventually, it dawned on the newcomer that this isn't some youth swimming event. This teenager is headed to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
For each swimmer, the trials are the culmination of years or even a decade of work. Harnish remembers coming to the York YMCA for the first time about 10 years ago. It’s a place where she eventually realized she could compete among the best in the nation.
"I would have to say when Hali Flickinger made all the national teams and junior national teams and was traveling to Russia and to World Cups, I realized this is for real," Harnish, 17, said. "I realized I could be doing that in a couple years. She showed me this is something special. She was making it, and it was eye-opening for me."
She has qualified to race in seven events at the trials, but has pared down her schedule to five events: 100-meter butterfly, 400 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 200 fly and 800 free. She explained she didn't want to "overload her plate." Her best shot at making the team, or scoring a top-two finish, will be in the 400 free (she is seeded 11th in the nation) or 800 free (seeded 13th). But even with a top-15 seed time, winning is not expected.
"Obviously for me, making the team would be great," Harnish said. "But I'm also looking forward ... the end goal being the 2020 Games."
Meanwhile, her teammate Small has gone from one of the slower swimmers at the York YMCA to one of the nation's best. Four years ago, qualifying for the U.S. trials seemed out of reach.
“I was extremely slow, it was not a good situation,” she said.
But now, she has the sixth-fastest time in the nation in the 200-meter individual medley.
"Michael is an amazing coach, and if he sees potential he will find a way to bring it out," Small said. "From the beginning, he always believed in me and pushed me to my limits, physically and mentally. When I wanted to back down, he was there to tell me to knock it off."
Of the current York Y swimmers, Small might have the best bet of reaching a final or even qualifying for the Olympics.
"Yes, it's a goal, but I'm more excited just to see what I can do," Small said about her approach. "I generally do my best when I don't think about things."
Dallastown's Oberlander has qualified for two events, with her best seeding in the 200 back (41st in the nation). Braswell is the youngest of the York YMCA swimmers at age 16. She is home-schooled in the Northeastern School District, and she's seeded 81st in the 800 free.
“It’s a little overwhelming knowing I am swimming at the same event with swimmers who have won Olympic gold medals,” Braswell said. “But it’s just another swim meet, and it’s just the same event I’ve been doing since I was 12.”
In a way, the meet will function as a last hoorah for the four swimmers. Small and Oberlander will leave the team to attend college. Oberlander noted the four have already shed tears at the team’s annual swimming banquet.
“Oh my gosh, the journey with these girls has been astonishing,” Small said. “We went from barely finishing in the top five as a team to winning at YMCA nationals, so it’s kind of awesome.
“Honestly, they are kind of like my sisters. They’ve seen me at best and my absolute worst. The bond is unbreakable, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
U.S. Olympic Team Trials for s wimming
When: Sunday through July 3
Where: CenturyLink Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Who: An estimated 1,500 swimmers expected to race
On the line: A trip to the Olympics at Rio Games this summer
Making the Olympics: The top two finishers in each event make U.S. Olympic team. Additionally, up to the top six finishers in the 100 and 200 freestyles will make the team for relay purposes.
TV: All preliminaries will be taped and broadcast on NBC Sports Network. All finals will be broadcast on NBC
Webcast: NBCSports.com/Live
York YMCA swimming workout schedule
York YMCA swimmer Courtney Harnish shared a look at the team's typical workout schedule.
DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR
Mondays, Thursdays
Practice: 5:30 a.m. to 6:45 a.m.
Go to school
Return to practice: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Practice: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
DURING THE SUMMER
Depending on the competition schedule, each week features three or four doubles, or days with two practices per day.
Monday through Saturday
Practice: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.