Madeline Young (‘13), a top swimmer, holds the breast stoke record at North Point. Though swimming is her strong suit, her strong work ethic and dedication are what make her a stand out.

Ten years ago, while looking for something to do in the spring, the home schooled Young took up swimming lessons. Excelling in her class, her teacher encouraged her to join the swim team.  Since then, she has done summer swimming every year and has joined the team at North Point. Now, with numerous medals to her name, she has placed in the State Championships and possesses record-breaking times.  According to swimming coach Mr. Rivenburg, “She is one of our top breaststrokers, a good leader in the lanes, and hard worker.”

When swimming, a sense of accomplishment surges through her body. Born into a large family, swimming is Young’s individualized characteristic. It is definitive of her and makes her friends and family proud. For her, swimming is more than just a physical activity, “I was given a gift and have an obligation to use that gift,” she expressed.

Her motivation stems from her want to go to college. Since she has to pay for her own education, Young works to the bone, five days a week in the summer and the winter- spending over 140 hours swimming each year. Though it may get tiresome at times, her aim is to get the best times possible and earn scholarships.

Once it is competition time, her central attention is on self-betterment. “I don’t focus on beating other people, I focus on beating my own times,” Young stated.

Young faced a major set back earlier this fall when she went into emergency surgery. Upon return, she found herself behind in a lot of events. “I think she is doing a lot better because in the beginning of the season, she was a little upset about her performance. Now she has been working harder and has been doing very well,” fellow swimmer Keely Hollyfield (‘14) said.

“It has been a real struggle to get back to where I was. I did not think it would take this long, but slowly and surely, I am getting better.” she expressed.

Other than swimming, Young plays field hockey, holds a job, and focuses on staying balanced.  By the end of the season, Young hopes to beat her own record. In the long run, she hopes to keep the record at North Point for an extended time.