MONROE - From the second Monroe-New Glarus freshman Mekenzie Hammer steps up to the starting blocks, she slaps her arms and legs.
It's not some deep hidden meaning to motivate her before one of the biggest races of her young career. It's not some nervous energy waiting to come pouring out. There's a method to her madness when it comes to swimming.
"I see Olympians do it at the Olympics," Hammer said. "I just thought I would try it out. It helps me loosen up my muscles. Now, I can't do a race without doing it."
Hammer has been a freshman sensation for the Cheesemakers since the start of the season. She enters the WIAA Division 2 state swim meet Friday at the University of Wisconsin's Natatorium as the No. 1 seed in the 100-yard backstroke (57.80 seconds).
"My goal was to get 57 seconds in the backstroke and I did it," Hammer said. "I really want to go for first place."
Hammer said she doesn't feel pressure to medal or win a state championship in the backstroke. She gains inspiration and strength from her sectional championship performance. She is the first Monroe-New Glarus swimmer to win a sectional title since Ellie Radke won the sectional championship in the 50 freestyle in 2005.
"It really just made me feel more confident in myself," she said. "It doesn't make me any more nervous."
The key for Hammer in the backstroke is the work she does under water with the dolphin kick on the start of the backstroke before she comes to the surface.
"I count 12 to 13 seconds under water with my dolphin kick before I come up," she said.
She's also seeded sixth in the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 13.62 seconds), which is 0.01 of a second away from breaking the school record. She will swim on the Cheesemakers' state qualifying 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. In addition to breaking Rachel; Root's backstroke school record, Hammer also was part of the Cheesemakers' 400 relay team that set a new school record in the sectional (3:43.23).
"Rachel was always a person I looked up to," Hammer said. "She went to the school (Illinois State) I want to go to. Wisconsin would be my first choice."
Hammer said she will try to go for breaking the school record and will look to get on the podium in the 200 IM.
"Any best time would be amazing," she said.
Mekenzie's older sister, Maddie Hammer, also will swim four events at state. Maddie has enjoyed seeing the progress her younger sister has made in her first year of high school swimming.
"I'm super proud of my sister for being ranked No. 1 (in the backstroke) going into the state meet," Maddie said. "She came into the season a little weary about how it would work. I'm definitely really proud of her. Being in the same relays as her is just awesome to have that opportunity."
In both the medley relay and 400 freestyle relays, she gets one final opportunity to swim with her senior sister, Maddie, on the biggest stage yet at the UW Natatorium. She understands this will be her final lap swimming with her older sister for Monroe-New Glarus.
"It means a lot," Hammer said of swimming with Maddie. "I will miss her when she leaves. She's been a really big motivator for me. She's the reason I started swimming."
Hammer is optimistic the two relays can have a strong showing at state.
"In the medley relay, we are all swimming our best strokes," she said. "We just have to get up there and race. In the 400 free relay, Francesca is really good at chasing people from behind. We will get there and have to pump each other up."
It's not some deep hidden meaning to motivate her before one of the biggest races of her young career. It's not some nervous energy waiting to come pouring out. There's a method to her madness when it comes to swimming.
"I see Olympians do it at the Olympics," Hammer said. "I just thought I would try it out. It helps me loosen up my muscles. Now, I can't do a race without doing it."
Hammer has been a freshman sensation for the Cheesemakers since the start of the season. She enters the WIAA Division 2 state swim meet Friday at the University of Wisconsin's Natatorium as the No. 1 seed in the 100-yard backstroke (57.80 seconds).
"My goal was to get 57 seconds in the backstroke and I did it," Hammer said. "I really want to go for first place."
Hammer said she doesn't feel pressure to medal or win a state championship in the backstroke. She gains inspiration and strength from her sectional championship performance. She is the first Monroe-New Glarus swimmer to win a sectional title since Ellie Radke won the sectional championship in the 50 freestyle in 2005.
"It really just made me feel more confident in myself," she said. "It doesn't make me any more nervous."
The key for Hammer in the backstroke is the work she does under water with the dolphin kick on the start of the backstroke before she comes to the surface.
"I count 12 to 13 seconds under water with my dolphin kick before I come up," she said.
She's also seeded sixth in the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 13.62 seconds), which is 0.01 of a second away from breaking the school record. She will swim on the Cheesemakers' state qualifying 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. In addition to breaking Rachel; Root's backstroke school record, Hammer also was part of the Cheesemakers' 400 relay team that set a new school record in the sectional (3:43.23).
"Rachel was always a person I looked up to," Hammer said. "She went to the school (Illinois State) I want to go to. Wisconsin would be my first choice."
Hammer said she will try to go for breaking the school record and will look to get on the podium in the 200 IM.
"Any best time would be amazing," she said.
Mekenzie's older sister, Maddie Hammer, also will swim four events at state. Maddie has enjoyed seeing the progress her younger sister has made in her first year of high school swimming.
"I'm super proud of my sister for being ranked No. 1 (in the backstroke) going into the state meet," Maddie said. "She came into the season a little weary about how it would work. I'm definitely really proud of her. Being in the same relays as her is just awesome to have that opportunity."
In both the medley relay and 400 freestyle relays, she gets one final opportunity to swim with her senior sister, Maddie, on the biggest stage yet at the UW Natatorium. She understands this will be her final lap swimming with her older sister for Monroe-New Glarus.
"It means a lot," Hammer said of swimming with Maddie. "I will miss her when she leaves. She's been a really big motivator for me. She's the reason I started swimming."
Hammer is optimistic the two relays can have a strong showing at state.
"In the medley relay, we are all swimming our best strokes," she said. "We just have to get up there and race. In the 400 free relay, Francesca is really good at chasing people from behind. We will get there and have to pump each other up."
