By Lydia Stonerook

Most freshman athletes aren’t taken too seriously; they are the ones who sit on the bench and watch the upperclassmen led their team to victory. However, freshman swimmer Shelby Gerving is not one of those kids. In her first year here at Tuscarora, Gerving has broken several school records as well as the Conference 14 record in the 200 free. She has also qualified for Junior Nationals, a prestigious country wide meet, in four events.

Gerving’s swimming career began in Iowa, where she first participated in ice-skating at a young age. “I eventually quit [ice-skating] because I wasn’t very good at it, but then my mom signed me up for swim lessons. During the first day, I loved my instructor so I kept going,” she said. Since then, Gerving hasn’t stopped. In addition to being a member of Tuscarora’s varsity swim team, Shelby swims for Snow Swimming, a local club team. “Usually I wake up at 4:30am, I get to practice by 5:15, and then practice ends at 7:30. On a doubles day, I will go back and have another practice from 4:30pm to 6:30,” she said.

Shelby contributed her continued success to several people in her life. When she still lived in Iowa, Gerving’s coach, Jenny, could see her potential. “She knew that I probably wanted to quit but she kept telling me I was too good to stop,” she said, “I eventually learned to love the sport.” Shelby’s parents have also played a big part in her swimming career. “They have been so supportive. They remind me to stretch, drive me to meets, and help with my stress levels,” said Gerving.

Even though it’s only her freshman year, Gerving is looking forward to future meets. “I’m always thinking about going a best time or that I need to win this race,” she said. Gerving is also hoping to swim in college, but with three years left at Tuscarora, she will first leave her mark on our school.