Dan SquireWhen you think of swimming, you probably picture children splashing around at the local swim club. However, it’s not all fun and games for junior education major, Meghan O’Leary, the junior captain of Cabrini’s women’s swim team. Her responsibilities consist of overseeing study hall hours, motivating the team and making sure the swim team members are working to their individual abilities.
O’Leary has been swimming on the team since freshman year, and she has proven her abilities to become the junior captain of the team.
She began the sport when she was six years old. O’Leary, who was born in West Chester, Pa., says, “I grew up around the ocean, so it was important”. O’Leary also owes her love of swimming to her father, who swam in college at Pittsburgh University.
O’Leary’s favorite stroke is the butterfly stroke, and she has broken the school record for the butterfly, in the 200 meter, 400 meter and 800 meter free relays. She is a
five-time Cabrini Classic Champ, which is a meet that Cabrini founded that consists of four teams. It was created to help the swimmers measure their times and keep them consistent.
As she progresses in her school year, she continues to have more responsibilities with the underclassmen and she is constantly talking to recruits.
O’Leary said that her favorite part of swimming is “setting a goal and reaching it.” She thrives on the thrill of having the time to break a record, being able to train for it, and then finally breaking it. O’Leary is a very determined young woman who has set many goals for her life, and clearly enjoys watching herself be put to the test by accomplishing all of her dreams.
She has proven herself in preseason, which took place in mid-September of this year. O’Leary, along with her teammates, had to do a strenuous amount of distance swimming in the water.
