NORMAL, Illinois - Monroe High School graduate Rachel Root has made a splash on the Illinois State swimming and diving team.
Root, a junior for the Redbirds who is a speech pathology major, is gearing up for the Missouri Valley Conference championships that run Wednesday through Saturday at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
As a sophomore, Root broke the 200-yard backstroke school record with a time of 2 minutes, 1.31 seconds.
"It's the time where I want all of my hard work to pay off," Root said of the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference meet. "I'm ahead of my times from last year. Hopefully, I can keep it going for conference."
The top three in each event earn medals and the top eight place, earn a certificate and a spot on the podium. Root will compete in at least one event each day. She will open the conference meet by swimming in the 200-yard medley relay. The Redbirds are the No. 1 seed in both the 200 and 400 medley relays.
On Thursday, Root will swim the 200 individual medley, and then the 100 backstroke and 400 medley relay Friday. She swill swim the 200 backstroke Saturday.
"It's nice to have the rest between them," Root said of her races. "It's fun to watch your team compete."
The signature event for Root is backstroke. Root finished third in the 100 backstroke at conference last year, second in the 400 medley relay and ninth in the 200 backstroke.
"I'm really hoping to go for my best times," Root said. "I want to swim fast. I want to do the best I can possibly do. In conference, I'm most excited about the relays. That is what makes it fun being part of a team."
Before going to Illinois State, Root was a four-time WIAA Division 2 state swim meet qualifier and she qualified for the national YMCA meet three times. However, her freshman year at Illinois State was a challenge.
College swimmers have to get adjusted to swimming more yardage in practice and lifting weights. Root spends 20 hours a week in swim practice and lifting weights.
"That was new for me," she said of lifting weights. "In high school you don't have time to practice 20 hours a week. That's like a part-time job."
She recalls her time as a freshman with the Redbirds.
"When you come into it as a freshman you look up to the older swimmers," she said. "You look up to them and feel like you want to be a role model like them."
Root said the swim practices with the Redbirds are very focused on technique.
Her coach uses an under water camera to record her backstroke and uses the video as a teaching tool to point out details.
"I think it has definitely helped," she said.
Root said the strength training has helped her improve pushing off the blocks at the start, pushing off walls for flip turns, and her kicking.
"I'm getting better and stronger at kicking," Root said. "That's good. It's something I have always struggled with."
Root has focused on enhancing her kicking under water. She knows if she can kick under water for the first 10 to 15 yards it will cut her time down in the backstroke.
"I'm working to get faster and more efficient kick off my walls," she said. "Five kicks off every wall is the goal."
During winter break, Root went with the Redbirds swim team for one week of intense training in Puerto Rico. She got one day off and went on a snorkeling trip.
"That was the peak of our training," Root said.
After the Missouri Valley meet, Root and several of her teammates will swim in a meet at Ohio State with a last chance to make an Olympic trial cut time.
Root has not swam a long course meet this year. The meet at Ohio State will be her chance to get an Olympic trial time in the 100 backstroke in a meter pool.
"I would love to get an Olympic trial time," Root said. "We will see what happens. It will be a fun and good experience."
Root, a junior for the Redbirds who is a speech pathology major, is gearing up for the Missouri Valley Conference championships that run Wednesday through Saturday at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
As a sophomore, Root broke the 200-yard backstroke school record with a time of 2 minutes, 1.31 seconds.
"It's the time where I want all of my hard work to pay off," Root said of the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference meet. "I'm ahead of my times from last year. Hopefully, I can keep it going for conference."
The top three in each event earn medals and the top eight place, earn a certificate and a spot on the podium. Root will compete in at least one event each day. She will open the conference meet by swimming in the 200-yard medley relay. The Redbirds are the No. 1 seed in both the 200 and 400 medley relays.
On Thursday, Root will swim the 200 individual medley, and then the 100 backstroke and 400 medley relay Friday. She swill swim the 200 backstroke Saturday.
"It's nice to have the rest between them," Root said of her races. "It's fun to watch your team compete."
The signature event for Root is backstroke. Root finished third in the 100 backstroke at conference last year, second in the 400 medley relay and ninth in the 200 backstroke.
"I'm really hoping to go for my best times," Root said. "I want to swim fast. I want to do the best I can possibly do. In conference, I'm most excited about the relays. That is what makes it fun being part of a team."
Before going to Illinois State, Root was a four-time WIAA Division 2 state swim meet qualifier and she qualified for the national YMCA meet three times. However, her freshman year at Illinois State was a challenge.
College swimmers have to get adjusted to swimming more yardage in practice and lifting weights. Root spends 20 hours a week in swim practice and lifting weights.
"That was new for me," she said of lifting weights. "In high school you don't have time to practice 20 hours a week. That's like a part-time job."
She recalls her time as a freshman with the Redbirds.
"When you come into it as a freshman you look up to the older swimmers," she said. "You look up to them and feel like you want to be a role model like them."
Root said the swim practices with the Redbirds are very focused on technique.
Her coach uses an under water camera to record her backstroke and uses the video as a teaching tool to point out details.
"I think it has definitely helped," she said.
Root said the strength training has helped her improve pushing off the blocks at the start, pushing off walls for flip turns, and her kicking.
"I'm getting better and stronger at kicking," Root said. "That's good. It's something I have always struggled with."
Root has focused on enhancing her kicking under water. She knows if she can kick under water for the first 10 to 15 yards it will cut her time down in the backstroke.
"I'm working to get faster and more efficient kick off my walls," she said. "Five kicks off every wall is the goal."
During winter break, Root went with the Redbirds swim team for one week of intense training in Puerto Rico. She got one day off and went on a snorkeling trip.
"That was the peak of our training," Root said.
After the Missouri Valley meet, Root and several of her teammates will swim in a meet at Ohio State with a last chance to make an Olympic trial cut time.
Root has not swam a long course meet this year. The meet at Ohio State will be her chance to get an Olympic trial time in the 100 backstroke in a meter pool.
"I would love to get an Olympic trial time," Root said. "We will see what happens. It will be a fun and good experience."
