GIRLS SWIMMING: Kropp going on Trial
Flintridge Sacred Heart swimmer doing a balancing act
Above: Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy swimmer Andrea Kropp. (Photo by Walt Mancini)
By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
PASADENA - It's a tough act to balance high school and world-class swimming.
But Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy's Andrea Kropp is trying. The sophomore is competing in the first few events for the undefeated Tologs' swimming team and then heading over to Pasadena City College to continue training as part of the Swim Pasadena club.
Kropp is one of five Swim Pasadena members who have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.
"It's definitely hard because you have to go and get up to race," she said. "You have to give it your all and then come to practice and swim for another two hours."
Kropp, 14, takes part in the Tologs' first three events and then leaves for practice. She said she wouldn't do it any other way.
"No, it doesn't wear me out," she said of competing hard in a race and then training. "It's better than not doing high school swimming. It's so much fun. We're having fun on the (team) bus and I enjoy being with my teammates."
As a freshman last year in the CIF-Southern Section finals, she won one event (the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 3.69 seconds) and helped the Tologs to a first-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay after swimming the fourth leg and a third-place finish in the 200 medley relay after swimming the third leg.
Flintridge Sacred Heart finished second in points in Division IV, losing the title by only 10 points.
But training for the CIF-SS finals is out the door this year. Kropp reached U.S. Olympic qualifying times in the 200 breaststroke last June and in the 100 breast and 200 individual medley in January.
"When you enjoy the sport, it's not hard," Swim Pasadena assistant coach Terry Stoddard said of training for both. "It's hectic at times because you have to please both goals. You want to be part of both teams. The Sacred Heart team is truly a strong team and you want to do your part. It's emotional and it's demanding because you have the need to train for yourself and prepare for the Olympic Trials."
It's especially hard because California is one of only three states where high school swimming is held in the spring. Most high schools are finished by February, so those with world-class aspirations can begin their summer training session earlier and not worry about high school goals.
In a way, high school swimming is just an afterthought this season.
"I just want to do well in CIF," Kropp said. "I'm not resting for it or anything. It's definitely not my main focus and it is definitely a weird feeling."
Said Stoddard: "Our focus this year is on winning a gold medal in Beijing. To do that, she has to go from 46th to the top two (in the U.S.). In some ways, it is no different from being 46th in the CIF to winning it."
Kropp will turn 15 four days before the start of the Trials, to be held June 29-July 6 in Omaha, Neb.
She qualified in the 200-meter breast during last June's Janet Evans Invitational at USC with a 2:33.53 clocking. She is ranked 39th in the event in the U.S.
She also earned a berth on the U.S. junior national team and competed in the Victorian Championships in January in Melbourne, Australia. At that international meet, her first, she earned Olympic Trial qualifying times in the 100 breast (1:12.59) and 200 IM (2:20.04). She is ranked 86th in the 100 breast and 102nd in the 200 IM. She is one second shy of reaching the qualifying standard in the 400 IM.
"It's just amazing," she said. "When I made the time last year, it was like, 'It's the Olympics.' It's really exciting. I was surprised to make that time, but I was going for it, and once you get the first one, the pressure is off."
That's when she scored the other two times.
But Stoddard said Kropp, who began swimming competitively when she was 7 and for Swim Pasadena when she was 9, is just getting started in this Trials pursuit.
"There will be a (Swim Pasadena) team there," he said. "But it truly is you against the rest of the country. Its a very unforgiving meet. You can't make a mistake and you have to be on your game. The hard part for her is to stay on her game while meeting the emotional demands of the Trials. It will be a new experience for her."
She must finish among the top two to go to Beijing. Stoddard said competing in Melbourne helped.
"That showed her a little bit of how intense it will be," he said. "But there is nothing like the Olympic Trials. It is a one-of-a-kind meet, just like the Olympics."
Kropp doesn't consider herself an outsider, even though she will be a newcomer to the Trials.
"I think when I put my mind to it, I go for it and I can do it," she said.
"This is a good thing for her," Stoddard said. "She's got a lot of improvement to do."
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
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