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Haley Robey of Boyle County said she's glad she made the decision to transfer from Mercer County so she could compete in high school swimming (Mike Marsee / February 7, 2013) |
It was one of the biggest decisions of Haley Robey’s young life, and one that she says she hasn’t regretted for a minute.
Robey is approaching the end of a two-year career in high school swimming, one that wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t decided to transfer from Mercer County to Boyle County prior to her junior year.
She had been swimming for some time with the Bluegrass Marlins club team but couldn’t swim at the high school level because Mercer doesn’t have a team. She said she made the move to Boyle to be part of the team there, and she couldn’t be happier about the way it has turned out.
“I’m so glad I switched,” Robey said. “It was a great choice, and I’m glad I did it. I would have done it much sooner if I could have.”
Robey and her Boyle teammates will compete along with swimmers from Danville and other central Kentucky schools Friday and Saturday in the 2nd Region Championships at Russell County.
It’s an opportunity she knows she wouldn’t have gotten at Mercer, and one she said she badly wanted.
“I was moving forward (with the Marlins), and I just felt that if I (could) progress in that I also wanted to go forward in a school sport,” she said. “It was a big decision. It was actually holding me back. I didn’t really want to leave my friends.”
However, Robey said she has found even more friends at Boyle, both on the swim team and in the school at large.
“I did have some friends at Mercer, and I still do talk to them, but just joining this team, I’ve made so many strong bonds with people that I never to this day had with people at Mercer. Even people that don’t swim at Boyle, I’m still great friends with,” she said.
She said her parents backed her decision to switch schools.
“They were all for it,” she said.
Robey, one of two senior girls on the team, has been successful this season in her individual events, the 100-yard backstroke and the 50 freestyle, but she said the most important events to her are the two relays she swims, the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
“To me, relays are all that count, because it’s a team effort,” she said. “I just think the team’s more important than just as an individual. We are one big team, and your team’s only as strong as your weakest link, That’s what I think’s more important.”
She said Boyle’s coaches are confident that the relay teams can compete for state berths this weekend, and she also thinks she has a shot to qualify for the state in her individual events.
“More for my 100 backstroke than my 50 free, but I’m feeling very confident in both,” she said.
She said she is also confident about the team’s state of readiness for the regional.
“We’re feeling great, our coaches are feeling great about where we are,” Robey said. “The times are looking good, and we’re feeling very confident about making it to state.”
Robey also plans to compete in track and field for Boyle this spring, but she said she’ll miss at least one thing about swimming once her brief high school career ends.
“Just the teammates, the bonds I’ve made there,’ she said.
Robey is approaching the end of a two-year career in high school swimming, one that wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t decided to transfer from Mercer County to Boyle County prior to her junior year.
She had been swimming for some time with the Bluegrass Marlins club team but couldn’t swim at the high school level because Mercer doesn’t have a team. She said she made the move to Boyle to be part of the team there, and she couldn’t be happier about the way it has turned out.
“I’m so glad I switched,” Robey said. “It was a great choice, and I’m glad I did it. I would have done it much sooner if I could have.”
Robey and her Boyle teammates will compete along with swimmers from Danville and other central Kentucky schools Friday and Saturday in the 2nd Region Championships at Russell County.
It’s an opportunity she knows she wouldn’t have gotten at Mercer, and one she said she badly wanted.
“I was moving forward (with the Marlins), and I just felt that if I (could) progress in that I also wanted to go forward in a school sport,” she said. “It was a big decision. It was actually holding me back. I didn’t really want to leave my friends.”
However, Robey said she has found even more friends at Boyle, both on the swim team and in the school at large.
“I did have some friends at Mercer, and I still do talk to them, but just joining this team, I’ve made so many strong bonds with people that I never to this day had with people at Mercer. Even people that don’t swim at Boyle, I’m still great friends with,” she said.
She said her parents backed her decision to switch schools.
“They were all for it,” she said.
Robey, one of two senior girls on the team, has been successful this season in her individual events, the 100-yard backstroke and the 50 freestyle, but she said the most important events to her are the two relays she swims, the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
“To me, relays are all that count, because it’s a team effort,” she said. “I just think the team’s more important than just as an individual. We are one big team, and your team’s only as strong as your weakest link, That’s what I think’s more important.”
She said Boyle’s coaches are confident that the relay teams can compete for state berths this weekend, and she also thinks she has a shot to qualify for the state in her individual events.
“More for my 100 backstroke than my 50 free, but I’m feeling very confident in both,” she said.
She said she is also confident about the team’s state of readiness for the regional.
“We’re feeling great, our coaches are feeling great about where we are,” Robey said. “The times are looking good, and we’re feeling very confident about making it to state.”
Robey also plans to compete in track and field for Boyle this spring, but she said she’ll miss at least one thing about swimming once her brief high school career ends.
“Just the teammates, the bonds I’ve made there,’ she said.
