Making waves on their own

Burlington Central junior girls swimmer Alex VanOost had a simple motivation last year.

"I made the state meet freshman year and knew I had to make it again," she said. "It was really important to me."

Now, after qualifying for state in each of her first 2 years in two events each year, the motivation is even simpler.

"It feels good when you make it to state," said VanOost. "I'm looking forward to trying to make it again."

VanOost advanced to the state meet last year in both the 100 backstroke and the 200 freestyle. VanOost, who competed for Cary-Grove her freshman year, qualified for state as a ninth-grader in both the 100 breast and 200 free.

"The backstroke has always been my best event," said VanOost, who moved with her family to Elgin in July of 2006. "It's always what I've done."

VanOost said there are a number of key factors in being a good backstroke swimmer.

"You have to keep your head back or you have to have fast arms and you have to have a good underwater kick," she said.

VanOost, who formerly swam for the Elgin Pelicans and now competes for the Academy Bullets out of Aurora, enjoyed a strong summer season in which she won the 200 backstroke at YMCA long course nationals in Maryland and then swam in the junior nationals in Indianapolis in the 200 backstroke and the 100 backstroke.

"I really worked hard to make that junior national time," said VanOost, who dropped her time from 2:22.4 down to 2:21.4 (she needed to make 2:22.29). "That was my biggest improvement."

VanOost, a 2006 sectional champion in the 200 free, however, isn't the only swimmer representing Central with the same last name. Her younger sister, Courtney, is a sophomore this year.

"I really like swimming with her," said Alex. "I've always got her for support."

"I love swimming with her," said Courtney. "Alex is a really good swimmer. I like cheering her on at the bigger meets she goes to."

Courtney VanOost, who swims the 200 IM, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly at the high school level, qualified for YMCA long course nationals this past summer in the 200 backstroke. The 200 backstroke is Courtney's favorite event, but it is not offered at the high school level in Illinois.

"The backstroke is easy for me to do," said Courtney. "With the butterfly and the breaststroke you have to get a rhythm down. With the backstroke there is no set rhythm you have to get."

Alex said the lack of a high school team (Central does not have a girls swimming program) isn't as bad as it sounds. Because they do not swim for a high school team and only represent Central in the IHSA state series, the VanOosts train with their Academy team during the high school season.

"I had a high school team my freshman year," said Alex, a straight A student at Central. "I think I've done better with a club team when I'm with them the whole time. I like swimming with the club team better. It's difficult to get back into it after high school season and swim for a club right away with all the big meets coming up. It's like starting over because you've tapered for high school."

Courtney, on the other hand, never experienced the high school team concept, but has mixed emotions.

"I would have liked to have the experience, but it's nice not to have to make that transition to the club team from high school," said Courtney.

Courtney would like to join her big sister at the state meet this season.

"My goal is to make it to the highest meet I can and improve my times," she said.

"I want to get to the state meet pretty bad. I get compared against Alex. I would like to get to the state meet and show everybody I can do that stuff too. This summer my goal was to make it to 'Y' nationals and I did that. It felt real good. That's something Alex did at a young age. It felt good to achieve my goals."

In addition to any future high school accolades, Alex also has her sights set on making the Olympic trial cut. She'll swim in a pair of meets in Atlanta in November, including one in a required long course pool (Olympic trial times must be registered in a long course pool).

"I'm looking forward to trying to make the Olympic trial cut," said Alex, who works at the Taylor YMCA in Elgin giving lessons and is also a lifeguard. "You have to get a time in a long course pool. It doesn't matter what meet, as long as it is in a long course pool."

As far as the 2007 high school postseason, Alex isn't sure which way she's headed yet.

"At sectionals I could swim the 500, the 200 or the 100 backstroke," said Alex. "You can only swim two, so I'll choose two of those. I would like to try and make it into the top 6 at state this year."