Multiple members of the Aberdeen Swim Club have won championships during this weekend’s State A Long Course Meet at the Aberdeen Aquatic Center.
One of those is Lula Karst, who found herself on top of the podium on Friday evening.
Karst, who competed in multiple events on Saturday, said there was one thing she thought about when she was atop the podium being recognized for a state title.
“My practices,” Karst said. “I was thinking about how hard I’ve been practicing and how I’ve been putting it together to get to this point, just like it how all came together, and it all made me better as a swimmer.”
The 14-year-old who has won numerous state titles, said swimming in her home pool makes things easier for her.
“I’ve been practicing in this pool for a long time and I’ve been used to it for eight years now,” Karst said. “I think it would have been a lot harder in a different pool, because this pool seems so short to me right now, just because it’s my own pool and I’ve been practicing in it.”
Karst swam the opening leg on a relay on Saturday. She said she feels more pressure being a part of a team compared to just swimming by herself.
“I like being by myself,” Karst said. “I feel like there’s less pressure on me, because I was the first swimmer (in the relay), it all depends on you, like you’ve got to try getting a lead right away.”
While Karst has gotten physically stronger through the years, she said another key is being able to become mentally tougher.
“I think I’m mentally better than what I was two years ago. Before I was like so nervous. I felt like I needed to puke all the time,” Karst said. “And now I’m just behind the blocks and my mind’s all cleared out. Nothing going through my brain. It’s something that I train in practice.”
PEREBOOM MAKING A SPLASH FOR WATERTOWN
A Webster swimmer feels right at home while competing for the Watertown squad.
McKoy Pereboom lives in Webster and still practices with the Webster swimmers, but decided to join the Watertown team to be able to spend more time in the pool.
“I kind of wanted to get more swimming in so I wanted to swim year round,” Pereboom said, “and I really liked the coach.”
The 15-year-old has been a part of the Watertown team for three years. Pereboom also plays basketball and said that there is one thing that hoops and swimming share in common: endurance.
“Swimming endurance is a lot different than basketball endurance,” Pereboom said, “because you’re in the water, you can’t breathe for the whole time when you’re swimming. That makes it a lot different.”
He said basketball is his favorite sport.
“My whole family did basketball,” he said, “and my sister went to state basketball with Summit.”
His sister, Kalissa, was part of Summit’s state championship team in 2012. Pereboom plans to transfer to Summit this fall to play basketball there just like his sister did.
Before then, there will be more time spent in the pool.
“Before basketball in the fall I swim a lot,” Pereboom said, “but then when basketball hits, it’s a lot harder.”
LEADER OF THE STINGRAYS
Katelynn Dallman’s role has changed through the years for the Aberdeen Swim Club.
The 17-year-old who has been an ASC member for nearly a decade, is a team captain.
“I definitely think it’s changed coming from the bottom and building my way up,” Dallman said, “just being there for everybody and knowing everybody, and just being part of it.”
Dallman said it’s an enjoyable experience being a team leader for a squad that features a lot of closeness and camaraderie.
“We’re just such a big family and everyone supports everyone,” Dallman said. “You always see the team at the end of the lane just cheering everybody on, so it’s a really good experience.”
The senior to be at Aberdeen Central said the 100 freestyle is her favorite race, “because it’s easy. Easy and fast.”
However, there is one stroke she is not particularly fond of.
“Anything that has to do with butterfly,” Dallman said. “I’m not a butterflier.”
Interestingly enough, Dallman swam the butterfly leg on her team’s medley relay. She said relays feature more pressure than individual races.
“Oh yeah for sure, because I’m not just competing for myself. That’s what swimming is, is an individual sport vs. relay,” Dallman said. “It’s a team thing and everyone is counting on you to go and not be slow.”
REPRESENTING MILLER
While the state meet is full of swimmers from South Dakota’s largest cities, there are a couple of smaller delegations as well.
Jake Gibson of Miller is competing in three events at the state meet.
The 16-year-old said it can be intimidating considering his team features just a handful of competitors compared to the multitudes of other swimmers.
“There’s so many of them, and then you come and you see your little team here, and you’re like woah,” Gibson said.
He is doing to his best to make his presence felt.
“Honestly, I just try to represent Miller the best I can,” Gibson said.
Gibson has qualified for the state meet multiple times. It gives him a feeling of satisfaction.
“It feels really good,” he said. “I feel really accomplished.”
He said his goal is to swim as fast as he can, but said he does notice the competition at times.
“Sometimes when I see them in the corner of my eye it kind of makes me speed up,” Gibson said, “and that really helps sometimes.”
Gibson, who is a distance runner in track, said he likes the shorter races best in swimming.
His favorite race is the 50 freestyle, “because I just get to go all out sprinting the best I can and as fast as I can.”
The upcoming junior said there is a slight bit of anxiety just before he competes and then he lets it loose.
“I get really nervous when I get up on the block,” Gibson said, “and then when I get in the water, I just swim, swim, swim.”
The state meet concludes today.
