Spring Break
Women's Swimming: Taking a walk through the (Orland) Park
High school teammates, rival making a difference on Eastern swim team
Bob Bajek / Staff Reporter
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: Sports
Eastern athletics focus on building a community between student athletes. The Panthers' women's swimming team already has this community, literally.
Junior Laura Nielsen and freshmen Alex Green and Kelley Guzzo are all from Orland Park, swimming as teammates and rivals in high school.
Eastern swimming head coach Matt Bos said the Orland Park area has historically been a strong area to recruit athletes for the Panthers' program in the past. For him to continue that recruitment, Bos said he has help from Lockport High School swimming head coach Grant Ferkaluk, a former Eastern teammate.
"Obviously, we continue to talk," Bos said. "He has passed on a lot of information on women and men swimmers who are juniors and seniors. We'll continue to talk and utilize that area with our resources to bring kids here."
Green and Nilsen both swam at Lockport for two years in high school as part of the 2005 and 2006 teams that reached state finals. Green fondly recalls her time with Nilsen at practice.
"Some days we would practice in the same lane for four hours," Green smiled. "We would crack a lot of inside jokes during that time."
Guzzo swam for Sandburg High School, a rival of Lockport.
"I think to this date Sandburg and Lockport have been the biggest rivalry in state and conference," Guzzo said. "In every event, it comes down to Lockport and Sandburg for state."
Nilsen said she would go head-to-head against Guzzo and always win when the two teams swam against each other.
Guzzo laughed and said she only won those races her senior year after Nilsen had graduated.
While Nilsen and Green's coach went to Eastern, Guzzo said she was still aware of the Panthers' solid swimming program.
"There are a lot of Sandburg swimmers who came here, and I heard good things about it," Guzzo said. "My coach Jen Caliendo recommended it."
Eastern graduate assistant coach Holly Hooe was Nilsen's teammate for two years at Eastern.
"She's very outgoing - can make friends with anyone," Hooe said. "She's kind of quiet in practice, but she's busy working."
The addition of the two freshmen along with Nilsen has boosted the work ethic and morale of the team.
"From the beginning of the year, everyone came in a little behind of where they wanted to be," Hooe said. "These three were able to work hard and excel in practice. They were working hard for the team."
Despite having been recruited by former head swimming coach Ray Padovan, the Orland Park trio said they enjoy training with Bos. Nilsen said he is working the swimmers harder then Padovan though they have similar styles of coaching.
"We all have confidence in Matt Bos' workouts, so it will work out in the end," Guzzo said.
According to Hooe, Nilsen is coming off a leg injury but has trained back to health. Bos said he is happy with her progress.
"We are trying to monitor past injuries, and our team has been healthy," he said. "Hopefully, she'll continue to do well."
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
Junior Laura Nielsen and freshmen Alex Green and Kelley Guzzo are all from Orland Park, swimming as teammates and rivals in high school.
Eastern swimming head coach Matt Bos said the Orland Park area has historically been a strong area to recruit athletes for the Panthers' program in the past. For him to continue that recruitment, Bos said he has help from Lockport High School swimming head coach Grant Ferkaluk, a former Eastern teammate.
"Obviously, we continue to talk," Bos said. "He has passed on a lot of information on women and men swimmers who are juniors and seniors. We'll continue to talk and utilize that area with our resources to bring kids here."
Green and Nilsen both swam at Lockport for two years in high school as part of the 2005 and 2006 teams that reached state finals. Green fondly recalls her time with Nilsen at practice.
"Some days we would practice in the same lane for four hours," Green smiled. "We would crack a lot of inside jokes during that time."
Guzzo swam for Sandburg High School, a rival of Lockport.
"I think to this date Sandburg and Lockport have been the biggest rivalry in state and conference," Guzzo said. "In every event, it comes down to Lockport and Sandburg for state."
Nilsen said she would go head-to-head against Guzzo and always win when the two teams swam against each other.
Guzzo laughed and said she only won those races her senior year after Nilsen had graduated.
While Nilsen and Green's coach went to Eastern, Guzzo said she was still aware of the Panthers' solid swimming program.
"There are a lot of Sandburg swimmers who came here, and I heard good things about it," Guzzo said. "My coach Jen Caliendo recommended it."
Eastern graduate assistant coach Holly Hooe was Nilsen's teammate for two years at Eastern.
"She's very outgoing - can make friends with anyone," Hooe said. "She's kind of quiet in practice, but she's busy working."
The addition of the two freshmen along with Nilsen has boosted the work ethic and morale of the team.
"From the beginning of the year, everyone came in a little behind of where they wanted to be," Hooe said. "These three were able to work hard and excel in practice. They were working hard for the team."
Despite having been recruited by former head swimming coach Ray Padovan, the Orland Park trio said they enjoy training with Bos. Nilsen said he is working the swimmers harder then Padovan though they have similar styles of coaching.
"We all have confidence in Matt Bos' workouts, so it will work out in the end," Guzzo said.
According to Hooe, Nilsen is coming off a leg injury but has trained back to health. Bos said he is happy with her progress.
"We are trying to monitor past injuries, and our team has been healthy," he said. "Hopefully, she'll continue to do well."
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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