Sophomore Elisavet Savides first hopped into the Westover Pool during a swim assessment when she was 10 years old, not even knowing how to do the doggy paddle. Four years later she found herself in one of the highest levels in the year-round club swim team VAST.

“My mom made me get in the water at the Rec center to get tested to see what level I would be in for swim lessons, and I had no idea how to swim. The next day I started swim lessons and throughout the whole summer I gradually moved up in levels really quickly,” Savides said.

Savides’s mom then found out about VAST through a family friend and Savides was signed up and placed in an intermediate group. However, that level was too high and she was pushed back to a lower level. Over the course of a year, Savides moved back up to the intermediate group and actually went up in level from there, reaching one of the top groups in the program. After making it to that group, Savides decided it was time to take a break from swimming.

“I didn’t like the coaching and I needed a break because I was burning out. I was at the pool all the time and I felt like I wasn’t improving at all, but now looking back I realize I was improving a lot,” Savides said.

Savides now regrets taking that break because of everything she missed from being gone for a year.

“I think about all of the opportunities I missed last year when I took off,” Savides said. “I feel like in a whole year you miss so many, especially in swimming.”

Savides also finds that she’s not in as good of shape as she used to be before she took the break. Though it’s been tough, she’s now doing what it takes to prepare herself for the upcoming high school season, and reach her goal of eventually making it to the state swim meet.

“I’m currently doing the VAST high school clinics. We have practices every night and it’s for two months before the high school season starts. It’s actually really good; we’re working on a lot of technique,” Savides said.  

Savides started off the season with the high school swim team last year, but had to stop due to complications she found with a possibility of her moving. Now that she’s returning, she looks forward to being on a school sports team, something she’s never been a part of, and finally getting back to being in the water everyday.

“It’s amazing to be back. I’m not in as good of shape as I used to be, but the pool is this safe place and it’s so quiet and it’s amazing. I love it,” Savides said.