Most athletes who are successful have a goal of making it to the next level. Springdale senior Lauren Lamaestra is not like that. She’s one of the best swimmers in the state but she doesn’t swim on a club team like everyone else. She just does this for fun.
“Instead of getting the two to three hours a day that club gets she swims one hour a day five days a week,” Springdale coach Matt Hervey said. “She puts together fantastic times.”
Lamaestra won the 100 breaststroke last week at the district meet, beating a handful of swimmers who train three times as much as she does. Her secret is God-given athletic ability. Lamaestra has been successful in a handful of sports, including track.
“Almost everything,” Lamaestra said. “I’ve been recruited for definitely everything. I quit halfway through to focus on swim because I was having a better season than I thought and I have a lot on the line.”
She’s already the most decorated swimmer in Springdale school history and next weekend at states she wants to finish the right way.
“At state I want to medal top six. That’s my goal.”
After that, she’s done with competitive swimming. She’ll go to the University of Arkansas next year and major in business management.
“The sky’s the limit,” Hervey said. “She’s intelligent. She’s got some of the best grades in the school. She’ll be as good as she wants to be. “
She’ll also have a leg up because the sport she loves builds mental toughness.
“We’ve had football players come out, track people come out, cross country people, some of the best athletically trained people ever and they all say it’s the hardest sport they’ve ever done,” Lamaestra said. “Condition-wise it is the hardest sport you can do.”
That’s why she chose it. Competition breeds success.