Girls' Swimmer of the Year: Lisa Boyce
By: Troy Hayes
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 11:27:38 AM CDT
URBANA – Lisa Boyce always has picked up on things pretty easily. She's always had a talent for seeing something once and almost immediately knowing how to conquer it.
The Urbana University High School junior began her swimming career at 3 and was in the pool competitively – and winning – at 5. That's about a year after her early entry into grade school. She tested out of a year of high school at Uni High, meaning the 14-year-old will start college (hopefully at UC Berkeley) at 16.
"It's kind of always been like that. I remember being at my brother's swim party when I was 3 and seeing a coach dancing, and I went up and started dancing just like her," Boyce said. "I learned how to do the butterfly that day, too."
Photo by: Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Urbana Uni High's Lisa Boyce, The N-G girls' Swimmer of the Year, shows off her state awards in front of a picture of one of her favorite swimmers, 11-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin.
This year, her first swimming for the high school after opting to maintain continuity with her club team, was a smashing success as well. Boyce joined the tight-knit Illineks and the squad didn't miss a beat.
"The Uni swim team has a reputation as one of the best bonded teams around, and Lisa fit right in," Uni High swim coach Howard Schein said. "It was like she had been part of the team forever. That's something to be lauded that she could come in and integrate herself immediately."
As for her swimming, Boyce, who is The News-Gazette's girls' Swimmer of the Year, was just as good, setting at least nine pool records during the season before finishing fifth in the 100-meter backstroke, her signature event, and 11th in the 100 freestyle at the IHSA state finals.
The team experience is one Boyce now wishes she'd experienced sooner.
"It was a lot of fun, more than I ever thought," she said. "All the kids crowded onto the pool deck, and everyone is really into each event. It was something I hadn't experienced in club. It's totally different."
One benefit to only swimming club before this season was not having to taper three times in a year. Boyce was able to follow a training schedule full time.
"It would have been nice to have the experience of having gone to the state meet," Boyce said. "But the year of continuous training helped me a lot."
It showed in the dominance Boyce had over her competition all season. Schein noted Boyce's times in all of the events she swam rarely varied much, even with no one pushing her.
"That was impressive to see her consistency without much competition," he said. "She was right around her best times, which were at state, all season."
That, he thinks, is the mark of a water child, one born to be in the pool.
"She's just very in touch with the water," Schein said. "She knows how to grab the water and use it to her advantage. She also slips the water. Her body streamlines itself in the water very well. Lisa is made to swim."
Honorable mention
An alphabetical look at the Girls’ Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year honorable mention list:
ATHLETE SCHOOL YEAR
Jane Black Centennial Sr.
Norah Cetin Centennial Sr.
Morgan Crandall Danville Sr.
Lauren Drennan Danville Jr.
Bridgett Henwood Schlarman Sr.
Carly Hickman Clinton So.
Jenny Hill Urbana So.
Sara Hlinka Champaign Central Sr.
Mamie Hobbs Champaign Central Sr.
Eden Jackowski Danville Jr.
Karli Jackson Centennial Jr.
Laurie Jefferson Centennial So.
ATHLETE SCHOOL YEAR
Carolina Jimenez Urbana So.
Mary Lacine Champaign Central Jr.
Courtney Lehmann Champaign Central Sr.
Mary Lockman Champaign Central Sr.
Milee Nelson Urbana Uni High Fr.
Emma Newman Champaign Central So.
Hannah Newman Champaign Central Fr.
Alyssa Petruzzello Centennial Sr.
Emily Sherrick Centennial Sr.
Tatum Stewart Champaign Central Sr.
Sunny Strader Danville Jr.
Emily Weber Centennial Jr.