Fishers Indiana is host to the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers. Also known as ( FAST. ) FAST is a nationally ranked swim club that is rising to success. Within the club there are many standouts, but not any like Lauryn Parrish. Lauryn Parrish is a rarity who hates to lose more than she loves to win. You may wonder what drives a girl to be so driven at only 15 years of age. It all started with a little five year old with big dreams. "My mom was a club and high school swimmer growing up so she decided to have me join our little summer club team at the age of 5. I fell in love with the sport. I joined with FAST at the age of 7 and I've been swimming for them ever since." Parrish's parents are one of many reasons to why the Fishers freshman is so driven. It's not hard for one to search for success, when your parents once had success stories of their own. "My parents are my biggest heroes. They were both Division 1 college basketball players. My Mom played for Valparaiso University and my dad played for Ball State's 1989-1990 team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. They have taught me starting at a young age how to work hard and perform to the best of my abilities. They're the ones that drive me to and from countless numbers of practices and are always at my meets being my number one supporters. They're both amazing role models for me and I hope to be as great athletes and students as they were in college." Parrish just finished up her High School swim season a few months back at the IHSAA Swimming & Diving State Championships. She had a pretty soiled meet finishing 4th in the 200 yard freestyle and and 5th in the 100. She also anchored Fishers 4th place 200 medley relay team as well as their 4th place 400 yard freestyle relay. Parrish and the rest of the Fishers girls made history. "High School swimming was a totally different atmosphere for me to be in. Our team put me in the events all season that they needed me in to help us score as a high as we could. Our team went undefeated during the regular season for the first time in school history and we were lead by the greatest group of seniors in the state. I of course expected way more from myself at High School State but that just motivates me to take care of unfinished business during the next high school season." Fishers got 3rd at high school state just letting 2nd place slip away by 6 points to powerhouse team Crown Point. Parrish saw this as a huge disappointment but she is the queen of taking care of unfinished business. Months after her High School state meet Parrish helped her FAST team take 2nd to Carmel at the Indiana Short Course Senior State meet. "It was a required meet that I ended up having so much fun at. I am more focused on competing at Speedo Sectionals so my coach didn't have me taper for Senior State but it was a great meet for the team." It was a smart move for coach Jay Chambers not to taper his top Fishers girls for the state meet. And in result, the team made quite the splash at Speedo Sectionals making out with 6 junior national cut times and 2 national ones. It's clear, the Fishers girls are a completely different team when their yards are turned into meters. "I honestly find that I am blessed to be part of the greatest team in the world. Being able to train with some of the greatest swimmers in the state and country is truly an honor. The intensity is so high at practice every day, all of us are there to push each other and try to move ourselves to becoming the number one team in the nation" It is very clear that Parrish has lots of love for both her High School team and Club team, but which does she fancy more? "That's actually a really hard question for me to answer. I love both so much. It's so much fun representing my high school and swimming different events than usual so my team can score the best we can but also club season is always fun. I love going to big championship meets during club season and just having fun. They're both just so great and so fun!" Parrish is ranked 3rd of her 2017 class behind teammate Lauren Edelman on Collgeswimming.com. But Parrish sticks out in many different ways. She sets the bar for herself so high and is not afraid to go after it. With all great success, there is great sacrifice. But Parrish does not seem to let that get in the way of her accomplishing greatness. "I have had to give up a lot of sleep during this past year. Waking up at 4:50 a.m. four mornings a week to swim and lift before school isn't normally the ideal version of 'fun' for most students but, it's what has to be done to get better. Being a student athlete really teaches you how to manage your time well." It seems that all the hard work has finally paid off for Parrish because now she is heading to junior nationals. You can except any person with such a drive and as fierce as a competitor as her to have some huge goals going in. "I have big goals for myself. Some short term goals are medalling at Junior Nationals and becoming a national junior team member. Other long term goals I have are going to swim in college and hopefully become a member of the US National Team." |
0 Comments
|
AuthorJR. Kelly Archives
February 2015
Categories
All
|