Written by: Amelia Chavez, Staff Writer
SWIM: Poly freshman breaks several swim records.
Motivated, passionate, and kind are three of the many words to describe Ava DeAnda (9). She is a freshman who has made her mark on Poly by breaking four swim records. However, her legacy began long before this year.
At the age of five, DeAnda started swimming at Tidal Waves, a local recreational swim team open to kids from five through eighteen, who base their operations at the Poly High School pool. DeAnda later joined Riverside Aquatics Association (RAA), a competitive swim team active in Riverside since 1965 that has a reputation for producing record breaking swimmers, and she followed this legacy. RAA introduced Deanda to the joys of competitive swimming, and it was here that she discovered her love for swimming, pursuing it to where she is now. “That was probably the best decision I ever made,” DeAnda noted, “because it’s when I started taking [swimming] seriously.”
By thirteen years old, DeAnda made her first national cut, a feat difficult, even for older age groups, which inspired her to continue. This accomplishment allowed DeAnda to see what she was capable of, revealing that she was ready to take the next steps on her way to future major accomplishments on the Poly’s swim team.
Astoundingly, Deanda broke Poly’s woman’s 50 freestyle record, 100 freestyle record, 100 breaststroke record, and the 200 breaststroke record. Breaking all these school records meant much to DeAnda. “My older brother has that record in the mens,” she explained, “and we’re kind of like a breaststroke family.” Indeed, DeAnda generated a family legacy – generated a life long memory. “I remember getting out of the water,” DeAnda describes, “and my dad just gave me a big hug.”
Throughout her swimming career, DeAnda has received insurmountable support from her friends and family, as well as ASB, who has become like her family, helping her down the path of competitive swimming. They taught her that “there’s times when you need to take things seriously, and there’s times when you don’t.”
In her short time at Poly High School, DeAnda has already forged an impact. In the future, DeAnda wishes to bring more awareness to sports such as swimming and lacrosse by breaking more records and remaining dedicated to her sport journey. It is with high hopes she looks forward to her next three years at Poly.