AOTW: Avery Anderson making her mark with Red Devils swimming

Ed. Note: Avery Anderson is our final summer Gazette female feature athlete as we head into a new school year. She had a great swim season as a sophomore and looks for more.

Swimmers in the Miami Valley League better get used to the name Avery Anderson. She dominated in the pool last season, especially in the MVL league meet, earning first-team all-league in three different events, including the 200 and 500 Freestyle and a Freestyle relay, all accomplished with wins in those events.

Oh… and the Tipp swimmer was only a sophomore.

“All of the first-team selections stemmed from MVLs, and with a smaller team last year, we knew the only way we were going to place was to have as many kids podium as possible,” she said. “I swam the 200 and 500 free, some signature long distance events, along with two other relays. I knew going into this meet I had to be on the top of my game because I wanted the win for myself and for my team.”

“I get to a point where all the nerves subside, and I have tunnel vision to reach my goal. I did my part and had so much fun along the way. I want to thank my coaches and the seniors this past season for the amazing friendships and memories. There’s still a lot of work to be done going forward into a new season, but it’s bound to be another good one.”

Anderson, now a junior, is focused on what she hopes will be an even better season with a vision of making the trip to Canton at the end of the year.

“This season comes with a lot of goals that I’m ready to chase after,” she said. “After each season, I start with a clean slate of fresh goals that I write down. I guess I’m especially inspired going into this season after watching the Olympics.”

“But I know with big aspirations comes a greater work ethic, and I’m ready for it. I’m striving to head back to Canton for state, this time on an individual event. I could go on and on about all the things I want to do, whether that be dropping time to get some personal bests, perfecting the small things about each stroke, or even working on the balance of life with being a student athlete. Heading into this season, I know that I have to prioritize the specifics to be a better version of myself in general.”

Winning is important to Anderson, but so are the relationships an athlete can gain from being part of a team.

“The final goal I have is to create more friendships and be closer to my team,” she said. “Even though you are on a team as a swimmer, you’re still competing individually. I’ve learned that I compete better when I’m lifted up and supported by friends and teammates. I want to be that person for others.”

Anderson has been doing a lot of swimming this summer to continue her growth in the sport, and she knows all of the hard work will pay off.

“This summer has gone really well with my long course season for MCY. I would say that I swim primarily long distances, and long course practices are a lot more yardage, which enables the training that tailors to distance swimmers,” she stated. “My goal as a swimmer is to be as versatile as possible, so that means utilizing the skills I’ve built to then transfer into shorter distances and sprints.”

“An ongoing struggle that I tackle as an athlete in such a competitive sport is the mental aspect. I’ve learned that progress comes in many different forms. The hardest obstacle to overcome are the downs but recognizing that I had a bad race and knowing what to do to improve going forward is the most important thing I can do.”

Anderson will consider swimming at the next level when the time comes, as she wants to keep it in her life after high school.

“I definitely want to tour schools and look into their programs before setting my heart to one place,” she said. “As someone who’s been in the sport for a long time, I won’t deny I’ve had to heal my relationship with the water.”

“Swimming is something I do, and I love it, but it isn’t all of me. It doesn’t define me, it’s a part of me. Collegiate level athletics can blur the lines sometimes, but in finding the right balance and school, I would consider it in the future.”