St. Saviour swimmer splashes her way onto Metro Junior Olympics

February 25, 2014 Jaime DeJesus
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Swimming for gold! Caroline Adams, currently a freshman at St. Saviour High School, learned to swim at age three. Since that defining moment in her life, it’s been difficult to keep her out of the water.

“I remember we actually had a cabana in Breezy Point and that’s where I first learned to swim,” said Adams.  “It has been a passion.”

On February 2, Adams experienced her proudest moment as a competitive swimmer. During the Girls Catholic High School Athletic Association (GCHSAA) competition held at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, Adams finished third overall in the 100m Butterfly and in the top eight in the 200m.

“I had to make a certain time and at the high school championships, I went under it. So I qualified,” recalled the excited Adams, who finished the 100 meter in just one minute and five seconds. “I got out of the pool and I jumped up and down and hugged all my friends. It was great.”

Although starting high school can be daunting for any freshman, St. Saviour High has embraced her. “I love it. I’m really happy I chose to come here rather than somewhere else. It’s so small and welcoming and I feel at home,” Adams said. “I had a good background that made the transition easier than what people said it would be.” She attributes that strong background to the lessons learned during her time at her elementary school, St. Anselm.

Adams’ teammates have embraced her as well. “I found the team at school really welcoming,” she said. “It’s really fun. I’m definitely going to join until senior year. I just love my teammates.” Adams and the St. Saviour swim team finished first in the B Division in Dual Meets.

Adams finds inspiration in other professional swimmers, such as four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin. “She made Olympics in her junior year,” Adams noted. “She’s very humble and a great swimmer.”

Adams has high ambitions for her future. She plans to continue swimming competitively in college, with her first two picks currently being Duke University and Florida State, both with Division 1 teams. She also wants to coach children. However, her aspirations are not limited to swimming. “My favorite classes are history and science. I want to be a doctor,” with a concentration on genetics, she said.

Despite an intense schedule that includes her studies and swimming (she practices five days a week), Adams remains focused and motivated to try harder. “It’s just you train so hard to do something and when you do it, it feels great, like everything you’ve done has paid off,” she said. “I feel with every accomplishment I make, I want to go farther. It’s a great way to stay healthy.”

Another inspiration for Adams has been her parents. “They’re just really encouraging,” she said. “They always drive me to Staten Island everyday just to go to practice, so I really appreciate it.”

The Junior Olympics will be held from March 14-16 at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. To some, the task may be daunting, but Adams, who has been waiting for this moment for a while, is excited for the challenge. “I’ve been trying for three years,” she said, “so yeah. It’s a big honor.”

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