Chokran sees hard work pay off

Angie Chokran found herself in an unfamiliar position at the end of last weekend's St. Charles North sectional - standing on deck cheering.

Chokran, a St. Charles North junior, lent her voice loudly for her teammates as they tried to qualify in the 400-yard freestyle relay - a chase that ended just outside the state's qualifying time.

"It's hard because I've been a part of that relay the past two years," Chokran said after the meet. "In the past, I always had to watch the 200 free relay, but this year I got to be a part of that."

But in a way that only team leaders can express, Chokran then put a positive spin on the meet-ending relay team's misfortune.

"They only missed by three-tenths," Chokran said. "But you know, not one single person on that relay is graduating. So they get to do it again next year."

Chokran was one of the stars of the meet. She swam 2:07.20 in the 200 individual medley, which is the sixth-fastest time heading into Friday's state meet in Evanston. The junior also swam her 100 breaststroke specialty in 1:04.53, which is second only to Barrington's Emily Fogle, who has been runner-up the last two years.

After the sectional, Chokran wryly said her goal for the state meet was to "swim even faster." This is every swimmer's goal, of course, and so she was asked to elaborate.

"I have goals," Chokran said. "I want to get best times. I want to be in the top three in my individual events. As for the relays, we want to get into the top six for the medley and the top 12 for the 200 free."

In girls high school swimming, there are always athletes who set the water alight as freshmen. Chokran was not one of those swimmers. She swam well as a freshman and was a part of the North Stars 200 medley relay, which finished third.

Last year was a different story. She qualified in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke as well as the 200 medley relay. She finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke in what ended as a breakout meet.

As is often the case, one good season leads into another good season. For Chokran, the good high school season parlayed into a good summer of training, which culminated in an Olympic trial cut - meaning she swam fast enough to be invited to swim at the U.S. Olympic trials. She qualified in the 100-meter breaststroke.

"I think that was when I realized that I have some great things ahead of me in swimming," Chokran said. "I hope I have college swimming in my future. Getting that cut and going to the trials was a great experience. It helped me realize how much work I'm putting into it and how much I'm really getting out of it."

Two other St. Charles girls swimmers qualified for those Olympic trials - St. Charles East grad Caitlin Dauw, who is now at Michigan and Kaylee Jamison, a St. Charles North grad who now swims at Minnesota.

"That's a huge accomplishment," Rooney said. "There's maybe four girls in the state, even college kids, who can say that. It's an awesome accomplishment and something personally she can build on."

Just as last year's high school season ended as a springboard through the summer and into this fall, Chokran sees these past three months as establishing another foothold, from which she can climb even higher.

"Next year, I'm going to hopefully going to have even bigger and better goals, after a summer of training and more work and better times," Chokran said. "The worst fear that I have in the summer is hitting a plateau. But hopefully with the amount of training that I do and my willingness to try new things, I'll keep getting better."

With her grace under pressure, their state meet success and the manner in which she works tirelessly in the water, comparisons between Chokran and Jamison are inevitable. Where they are most similar is in their work ethic - which is the bond that ties all top swimmers together. And it is a trait which permeates the North Stars roster and something upon which Chokran will no rely as she attempts to take her 2008 success into the future.

"This sets Angie up for success and that's something that she developed," Rooney said.

"(Chokran's) a great kid, a great work ethic and she takes a lot of pride in herself," Rooney said. "I think she's got a couple of great opportunities and great races coming at the state meet and we'll see where it falls for her."

Chokran's races are difficult this weekend. Every race is tough in Illinois, home of one of the fastest high school state meets in the nation. And this weekend, Chokran is certain to have a large part determining the final standings in her events.

She's certainly worked hard enough for it.