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Power in the pool
Columbia’s Phillip Leonard returns to FHSAA Finals.
By TIM KIRBY
tkirby@lakecityreporter.com
Columbia High swimming’s state representation has been consigned to one.
Phillip Leonard is the only Tiger who will compete Saturday at the Class 2A FHSAA Finals at Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando.
Preliminaries begin at
9 a.m.
Leonard qualified for state in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. He placed seventh in both at the Region 1-2A meet in Tallahassee and is seeded 22nd and 21st, respectively, for state.
Leonard qualified for state in the 100 back last year, but a lackluster performance at district seemed to make him a long shot to return. He rebounded big at region.
“I knew what I needed to do make state and I just went for it,” Leonard said. “From 1:01.9, I went to a 57 (57.42) and nobody in their right mind would expect someone to do that. I knew I could do it.”
Leonard was a bit more straightforward in the 100 fly, posting a 59.40 at district and improving to 56.29 at region. His 56.21 in the region preliminary broke the CHS record held by brother Matthew, who now swims at Gardner-Webb University.
“He wasn’t angry, he was excited,” Leonard said. “His reaction was ‘sweet.’ I told him if I was here another year he wouldn’t have any records in that book.”
Leonard followed Matthew and sister Hillary (also at Gardner-Webb) in club swimming and as members of the CHS team. His brother, Gifford, is two years behind Phillip, but the family is moving away in December.
“I would say I started swimming at age 9,” Leonard said. “That is when I actually started competing and training and getting a real mind-set about it. It makes me proud that the whole family tried it and was successful. It is kind
of motivational and they
are all encouraging and positive.
“I appreciate my coaches Drew Sloan and Mary Kay (Mathis) at Columbia.”
Leonard said practice for state has been lonely, but he wants to go out with a bang.
“Everybody is super serious about it at state and they are really fast,” Leonard said. “You can feel the speed and intensity, especially at night. My goal is to drop down a couple of places to make the top 16 and swim at night.
I am a second better than last year in the 100 back and hopefully I will drop another second at state. I hope to re-break the fly record and get that a little lower.”
Phillip Leonard is the only Tiger who will compete Saturday at the Class 2A FHSAA Finals at Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando.
Preliminaries begin at
9 a.m.
Leonard qualified for state in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. He placed seventh in both at the Region 1-2A meet in Tallahassee and is seeded 22nd and 21st, respectively, for state.
Leonard qualified for state in the 100 back last year, but a lackluster performance at district seemed to make him a long shot to return. He rebounded big at region.
“I knew what I needed to do make state and I just went for it,” Leonard said. “From 1:01.9, I went to a 57 (57.42) and nobody in their right mind would expect someone to do that. I knew I could do it.”
Leonard was a bit more straightforward in the 100 fly, posting a 59.40 at district and improving to 56.29 at region. His 56.21 in the region preliminary broke the CHS record held by brother Matthew, who now swims at Gardner-Webb University.
“He wasn’t angry, he was excited,” Leonard said. “His reaction was ‘sweet.’ I told him if I was here another year he wouldn’t have any records in that book.”
Leonard followed Matthew and sister Hillary (also at Gardner-Webb) in club swimming and as members of the CHS team. His brother, Gifford, is two years behind Phillip, but the family is moving away in December.
“I would say I started swimming at age 9,” Leonard said. “That is when I actually started competing and training and getting a real mind-set about it. It makes me proud that the whole family tried it and was successful. It is kind
of motivational and they
are all encouraging and positive.
“I appreciate my coaches Drew Sloan and Mary Kay (Mathis) at Columbia.”
Leonard said practice for state has been lonely, but he wants to go out with a bang.
“Everybody is super serious about it at state and they are really fast,” Leonard said. “You can feel the speed and intensity, especially at night. My goal is to drop down a couple of places to make the top 16 and swim at night.
I am a second better than last year in the 100 back and hopefully I will drop another second at state. I hope to re-break the fly record and get that a little lower.”
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