The CHS swim team has improved immensely this year by gaining senior Gabrielle Inder.

“I had issues swimming on the swim team sophomore and junior year because it conflicted with TEAMS,” Inder said. “But because this is senior year and I really want to make the most of my time I am trying to work everything out so that I can be more committed to the team.”
Inder has been swimming for her entire childhood starting when she was very young in Australia.
“My mom really wanted us to know how to swim,” Inder said. “She had seen a lot of cases of children drowning during her medical training so it was very important to her.”
Inder started swimming competitively at 10 years old at a club “fun meet.” At the meet she broke the record in breastroke, which helped her decide to start competing more seriously. In America she kept up her swimming schedule by swimming in CSP (Clayton Shaw Park Swimming) in the Senior Elite Squad.
“My favorite strokes to swim are backstroke and butterfly,” Inder said. “Although I swim all of the strokes.”
Senior Nicky Turza has seen Inder swim numerous times.
“She just never stops swimming,” Turza said. “She works very hard.”
CHS swim coach Dave Kohmetscher also praises Inder’s work ethic.
“It is great to have her on the team because she is able to lead by example,” Kohmetscher said. “When people see how hard she is working in practice, it encourages her teammates to do the same.”
The swim team meets Monday through Friday for two hours a day and some people also attend an optional practice on Saturday. In addition there are dryland practices twice a week for an hour during which the team does core exercises and runs.
Juggling a difficult schedule and swimming is at times a challenge for Inder.
“Sometimes I get home late from meets,” Inder said. “It can be difficult to get everything done, but I am very organized which helps a lot.”
Inder enjoys swimming not only because it keeps her in shape and she gets to be a part of the team.
“Swimming gives me an escape from my schoolwork,” Inder said. “While I am there it is a fun way to relax.”
While swimming can be a very individual sport, Inder values the community that the CHS swim team has created.
“I really love the team atmosphere,” Inder said. “There are a variety of talents on the team but despite the differences everyone comes together at meets to cheer each other on.”
Turza has been at many meets cheering Inder on.
“At practices Gabby is always first to finish,” Turza said. “But she never makes a big deal about it, she is very modest.”
Inder is also an inspiration for the younger members of the team.
“Gabby is so successful because she works very hard and she has been swimming for a long time,” Freshman Abigail Copilevitz said. “She is a very encouraging teammate and she is always in a good mood.”
Inder’s goals for this year are to make state in individual events and in relays as a team.
“I have had the state qualifying times since freshman year but I have not swum them at a Clayton meet,” Inder said.  “Hopefully I will be able to this year.”
Kohmetcher agrees that this is a realistic goal.
“Gabby definitely has the potential to qualify for state,” Kohmetscher said. “She is a very strong swimmer and has the potential to win in every event.”
State is still weeks away but as the team begins preparing we look forward to their success.