Editor’s Note: This is the first part of a weekly series detailing the impact of Ohio’s freshmen on the swimming and diving team.
When slowly crawling out of the pool after swimming the 1000-yard freestyle against Eastern Michigan, thirty seconds of break was all Haley Clark had. Her arms and mind were tired and while she watched the opposition return to its bench, she couldn’t do the same.
“Just get over the 200 yards,” she told herself. “Believe in yourself.”
There wasn’t any time for more positive thoughts, as the starting signal ruthlessly rang through the Aquatic Center. Clark fought and finished fifth.
After the meet, Ohio coach Greg Werner said Clark had to take the hit for the team. The Bobcats weren’t able to provide a balanced lineup, because of injuries. Still, Werner’s makeshift roster proved to be the highlight of the season so far.
Weeks later, Clark is still unsure about how she was able to do it.
“The last 50 yards my arms weren’t even moving,” she said.
As an incoming freshman, Clark only trained for middle distance races and had never faced any distance in a meet that is longer than 500 yards.
Still, Werner trusted her – he had no reason not to.
The swimmer out of College Station, TX, came to Ohio as the 2012 state champion in the 100-yard butterfly. After falling just short of the title in 2011, Clark took her last chance to become a high school state champion and took home the title. She even posted a personal record in 55.65 seconds – almost half a second faster than she did the year before.
Years of training prepared Clark for that moment. She was brought up in the swimming pool, as both her parents, Henry and Shannon Clark, swam for the Bobcats. When Clark wasn’t swimming for Bryan High School in the winter, she practiced with a club team, where her father doubled as her coach. Swimming was and still is a family affair.
“During winter break training, my parents came to Athens and made dinner for the whole team for nine days,” Clark said. “They knew what we went through and supported the team.”
It was her parents that inspired Clark to come all the way from Texas to Ohio and Werner was excited to have a swimmer that can swim butterfly, freestyle and backstroke on the team right away.
“Haley impressed upon us from day one,” Werner said adding that her versatility was crucial to the recruitment process. “She was very excited about Ohio and you really want to hear the excitement of a recruit.”
Clark’s excitement for Ohio wore off a little bit, as soon as winter came around.
“I am not used to this (winter) weather,” Clark said adding that she didn’t have any winter clothing until bringing some back to Athens after Christmas. “It is cold for a large amount of days here and I am not used to it.”
Still, Clark is convinced she made the right decision in choosing Ohio.
“The school is beautiful. The team is good and I knew the program would help me to get faster,” Clark said.
As of right now, Clark said she is swimming times on par with her junior year of high school, where she was faster than her senior year even though she won a state championship.
Werner rewarded her performances by putting her on the ‘A’ relay teams in the 200-yard medley since the end of November at the Patriot Invitational, only giving her a break last Tuesday at the dual meet against Marshall.
But Clark doesn’t want to rest on her recent success. She knows that the season is long before over and strives for more to come.
“I want to win the MACs in my events,” Clark said adding that making the NCAA championships, as a freshman is also her goal. “I always set my goals pretty high.”
am794811@ohiou.edu
