Conversation with Heaven Wells, Two-Time State Swimming Qualifier

Pic 1. Coach Vogel, Coach Waite, Heaven Wells, Coach Michels. Pic 2. Clare Santas, Heaven Wells.

By Julia Bosco — Increscent Writer

A Season of Bests

The Beloit Memorial girls swim team arrived at the 2016 WIAA sectional meet in record-breaking style. Seventeen of 18 races for the lady tide were lifetime best swims. In the 200m and 400m freestyle relays, Lady Tide swimmers recorded the second fastest times in school history. Katie Landon swam a new freshman school record in the 100m butterfly. Junior Heaven Wells earned a spot in her second straight WIAA state swim meet, this time in the 100m backstroke, setting a new school record of 59.02 seconds in the event.

Throughout her junior swim season, Wells has held the seventh spot in the state for high school girls swimming as well as breaking multiple school records. When asked about her accomplishments, Wells responded, “I just practice a lot. I spend like my whole life in the pool.” In addition, Wells is the first girls swimmer to recently qualify for the state meet two years in a row, qualifying last year in the 400m relay “It really means a lot to me [returning to state],” said Wells, “No one else has gone twice in a row in like twenty years or something, and it’s just really special to know that I did that.”

STUDENT Athletes

As well as dominating in the pool, the Beloit Memorial girls swim team is well known for their dominance in the classroom. When asked how she manages to balance school and swim, Wells replied, “I pretty much just try to get everything done as fast as possible.” Boys and girls varsity swim coach Richard Vogel explained that swimmers maintain good grades because for everyone in the program, “Success in the classroom is just as important if not more than success in the pool”. And clearly the girls have adopted this mantra, he said, as they have been nationally recognized in recent seasons for the their outstanding GPA.

Both swim teams, girls and boys, at Beloit Memorial are more of a family than just a team members agree. “I just love being with all the girls, the atmosphere is really great and we all just support each other,” said Wells. When asked how being a part of the swim program for so long has affected her personally, Wells replied, “I’ve really started to look up to my coaches, I always think of them when I make decisions because they’ve all really helped me grow as a swimmer and a person.”

After high school, Wells says she would love to swim for a university or even possibly for the United States Olympic team. Wells finished eights at state competition setting another school record in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 57.57 Saturday November 12th at the University of Wisconsin Madison Natatorium. Her finish times earned her both honorable mention all-state honors and qualified for the Junior Olympics.
 

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