On March 21, 2025, the National Club Swim Association in Orlando, Florida, hosted a swim meet, a competitive event where swimmers from different teams or clubs race against each other in various categories. These categories include Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly. Our senior, Tyler Braly, competed in the Boy’s 100 Butterfly heat 13 around 10AM on lane eight.
To qualify for this event, you need to be at least 14 or older and have to achieve qualifying times within the period that the event goes on. A qualifying time, also known as a seed time, ranges depending on what you’re trying to swim for. For the 100 Butterfly, you need to get a seed time of at least 1:04.99. After hours of practice, Braly achieved a seed time of 52.27, which means he swam all three of his laps in under a minute!
Braly has been swimming since he was eight, and this has been his goal for the past three years. To prepare for this event, he made sure he was getting enough rest and eating the right things to help get his protein in. However, adversity struck around a year ago.
Braly was diagnosed with Pneumonia last year, which stunted his training and his overall ability.. Along with this, at the beginning of 2025, he messed up his knee, and only a couple of weeks later, he had injured his shoulder. Despite all of this, he persevered, and continued to compete in the swim meet.
He arrived at the NCSA building around 8:30, warmed up, and then finally swam around 10 to 11 o’clock. He achieved a time of 53:09, placing him 19th out of the 83 other people who participated in this event. “All things considered, it was just a long meet, so I did pretty good.” Braly noted. “It was worth it, it was really fun.”
Braly is compassionate, hardworking, and determined, not letting the issues he has faced deter him from meeting his goal or training for upcoming events. “He is extremely dedicated to the sport, he practices all the time.” Coach Johnston, swim coach and forensic teacher, said.
Heritage is extremely proud of Braly and what he’s achieved, and we’re so excited to see what he’s gonna do in the future, both academically and athletically. If you see him in the halls, make sure to congratulate him on his accomplishment!
