As the Langley Swim Team entered the pool at Regionals, the focus and determination on their faces was hard to miss. And motivating them along every step of the way was senior captain Allie Zeidan.
“I try to encourage people and cheer them on even if they didn’t have the best race,” said Zeidan. “Everyone supported each other and we swam incredibly. It was a really great experience.”
Zeidan’s optimism and relentless encouragement are a huge contribution to the team. According to senior captain Ryan Natal, “She’s always encouraging others, cheering, acting as a leader, and portraying a positive attitude.”
“She also tries to keep her teammates’ attitudes upbeat, as she “crack jokes all the time, which makes it really fun,” added freshman Maggie Prendergast.
Zeidan also has the talent to go along with her spirit. According toNatal, she is one of the best freestyle swimmers on the team. “Allie is continuously improving,” he said. “Her times seem to drop in every race she has. In the future, she will perform stronger and faster in all of her races.”
As this is Zeidan’s last year as a Saxon swimmer, she will always recall this successful season with fond memories. “This past season has been incredible,” said Zeidan. “The team has really bonded and I’m definitely going to miss everyone.” As she looks back on her career atLangley, she remembers her history with the sport. “I started swimming around the age of four, but I started taking things seriously during my freshman year at Langley,” Zeidan recalls.
One event sticks out to her when she is remembering the good times spent with fellow swimmers during her high school career. “My all-time favorite moment on the team was the 400 freestyle relay at state finals last year,” says Zeidan. “It was truly an incredible race and a great way to finish off a spectacular season.”
What’s to come for Zeidan in the future? “I haven’t committed to a school and I’m keeping my options open, but I do plan to swim in college,” she says. But when asked if she has any plans for the far future that have to do with swimming, Zeidan replied that she isn’t rushing anything and is choosing to enjoy herself in the moment. “Hopefully I can still swim after college, but I’m not really looking that far ahead.”