Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Sports

Eastern freshman swimmer Daniel Enge grew up in Edmond, Okla., and has been swimming since he was 8 years old. In his first meet with Eastern, Enge swam a 1:59.31 in the 200-fly, a personal best. The Panthers continue their season Saturday against Western Illinois. (Eric Hiltner/The Daily Eastern News)

When Daniel Enge was 8 years old he found himself constantly being dragged by his parents to his brother and sister's swim meets.

After a couple meets, Enge grew tired of simply watching the action and when he got to high school he decided to join the swim team in Edmond, Okla.

"My brother (Jeff) and sister (Jill) were always involved in swimming, so instead of me always being dragged to their meets, I just decided to give swimming a shot," Enge said.

Enge, who attended Edmond Memorial High School, said he swam all four years in high school and the experience he gained there has allowed him to understand how to prepare for a long swimming season.

"In high school, you go through a series of duel meets only to build up to the state swim meet and it kind of allowed me to understand what it would take to make it to the college level conference meet," Enge said.

Enge, a freshman, said after his family moved to Edwardsville, he turned his focus to finding a college that would allow him to swim and that would possibly earn him a scholarship.

"I actually contacted (Eastern head coach Matt) Bos and we started talking and when he came for a visit and told me that I could be on the team and compete, I was ready to go to Eastern," Enge said.

Since arriving at Eastern, Enge has been focusing on improving his strength and technique in the swimming pool.

"With all the weight training we do, I feel that I'm definitely getting stronger," Enge said. "I've also been focusing on the basics, like working on my stream-line, not breaking my arm apart and making sure to do full strokes."

Enge's focus on the basics has already begun to show in the swimming pool, with Enge setting a lifetime best of 1:59.31 in the 200-fly. Enge's time helped the Eastern men's swimming team win their season-opening match against Evansville by a score of 153-109.

Enge said he is going to have to set a new goal for the season after nearly breaking his original goal in the first swim meet of the season.

"I came into this season with the goal of swimming a 1:58 in the 200-fly, but after swimming a time of 1:59 in the opening meet, I just might have to adjust that goal a little bit," Enge said.

The Eastern men and women's swimming season continues Saturday with a match against Illinois-Chicago at Ray Padovan Pool with the event set to begin at 2 p.m.

Neil Schneider can be reached at 581-7944 or rnschneider@eiu.edu.

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