Promising Seniors-To-Be 2007: Michelle McKeehan

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 17. MICHELLE McKeehan, who swims for Jim Todd at both Center Grove High and Center Grove Aquatics in Greenwood, Ind., is our next subject in SwimmingWorldMagazine.com's Promising Seniors-To-Be series.

As of the June 14 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) release of All-American candidates, McKeehan is the top high school swimmer in the nation in the 100 breast with a time of 1:00.23 and traded the national high school record in the 200 IM with Mary Beck (1:57.41) before finishing in second with a 1:58.06.

McKeehan chatted with SwimmingWorldMagazine.com about her swimming to this point and her goals and dreams in the future.

Was there a watershed mark in your career that made it clear you had a gift for the sport and could achieve a big things?
Probably my junior national trip to Australia. I swam great and had such a fun time. I knew then that swimming internationally to represent the USA is something I would like to continue participating in.

What type of interaction do you have with your coach when it comes to training? What kind of input do you have?
My coach and I have a great relationship both in the pool and out. I don't have a lot of input when it comes to the actual practice, but he's always willing to listen to how I am feeling in the water or what concerns I have.

Coach Todd is easy to talk to, most of the time, and I feel comfortable with the fact that Coach Todd knows what goals I have in mind.

What are your goals for your senior season?
I want to enjoy my last year of high school and not get stressed out about college. I want to spend lots of time with my family and friends before I go off to college. From a swimming perspective, I would like to continue to shave time off all my events, even those that are not necessarily my specialty. I would like to go under a minute in my 100 breaststroke and hopefully 1:57 low in my 200 IM.

Who has made the biggest impact on your swimming career to this point?
It's hard to pick just one person. My coaches, Coach Todd and Amy (our assistant coach), are great both at coaching and being there when I need their advice. My parents are always supportive of everything I do whether in school, swimming, or anything else. They have also helped me build a strong faith in God and kept me going even when times were tough.

Have you verbally committed to any University? If so, which one and why? If not, who is in your top five and why?
I have not committed to any university. I am planning to wait until I have taken all five of my visits to decide. As of right now, I don't have a top five list of colleges. I'm just waiting to weigh out my options and choose from those for my college visits.

What has the recruiting process been like for you?
It's been overwhelming. There are so many options out there and it's tough to narrow down a school that is best for me for not only in swimming but also academics. It's not even July 1 and yet I feel as if I have to choose right now. Choosing out of the five visits will definitely be a challenge.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x