Lily Marshall waits for her event to be called. When the announcer calls her event number, and the agonizing wait is over, she nervously walks over to the starting block and steps up. She stands there, waiting with anticipation for the buzzer. She looks down into the clear water and readies herself for the dive into the giant pool. The sound blasts through the room, and she plunges into the cool water. 

Marshall is a sophomore here at Heritage High School and has been doing swim since she was six years old. She participates in the school swim team, but is also a part of a summer swim league.

“It’s [the summer swim league] definitely bigger than school swim. There’s like probably 150 kids,” Marshall said. “We have to practice at McCallie Aquatic Center, which I like though because they have a nice facility. But in the summer it’s [summer swim league] definitely more fun.”

However, Marshall still enjoys being a part of the school swim team during the winter months with about ten people. Marshall has also won multiple awards in swim.

“I have gotten seventh place in the 50 fly, which that’s like state , so like people compete against other teams and then you move up and then the people that are at the top, the teams that are at the top, go to state,” Marshall said. “I got ninth in the 100 fly.”

However, swimming is not Marshall’s only passion. She has also taken Art I as well as Intro to Healthcare and Essentials of Healthcare. 

“I definitely want to go into the healthcare field. I’ve known that for a little bit now,” Marshall explained.

  Marshall plans to continue the healthcare pathway classes, and she hopes to join the Health Occupations Students of America next year too. Outside of school, Marshall enjoys hanging out with her friends and shopping at the Providence. When she is with her friends, she is usually the mom of the group, as she has a sewing kit in her car, and a first aid kit in her backpack.

“But you know, I feel like I’m always prepared, which I think always comes in handy,” Marshall said. 

For now, Marshall looks forward to the coming years of high school, and all they have to hold.