For The Tribune
Libby Rohr began swimming in first grade and continued through fifth grade before deciding to become a cheerleader.
When she got to high school, she fell back in love with the pool.
“When I hit my middle school years I quit swimming to do cheerleading at Immanuel Lutheran,” she said. “When I came to Seymour High School, I couldn’t just do cheerleading. I had to get back into swimming. I just fell in love with the sport all over again.”
Rohr said she got into swimming because of her older brother, Alec, who also swam for the Owls.
“He was a big inspiration when he told me to start doing swimming with him, and my mom just encouraged me,” Rohr said.
She began swimming the distance freestyles in high school and is in her third season swimming the 200 and 500 freestyles.
“I think coach put me in the 200 free my sophomore year for the conference,” Rohr said. “In the 200 you have to know how to sprint it. It may be four laps but you have to sprint it. The 500 takes a lot of energy and you kind of have to average yourself out. The 500 is my favorite.”
In practice, Rohr tries to keep a steady pace.
“My coach, Dennis Bowers, holds the boys record for the 500,” Rohr said. “Every practice we’ll do pace work where you have to stick with a certain time for each lap. If you go under or below that he’ll make you redo it and stick with the same time.
“Like any normal athlete, you have your good practices and you have your bad practices. I love going to practice because I love to train with my friends, especially my friend Katie Turner. She’s my inspiration when it comes to swimming. The coaches are so supportive and we have awesome captains this year that are willing to help you in the sport or anything else.”
Her career-best times have been 2:10 for the 200 and 5:45 for the 500.
Rohr, who said her favorite lane is Lane 5, said she hopes to cut her time in both events this season.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m really going to work for it,” she said. “A 2:05 would be perfect, and in the 500 I want to drop to at least a 5:30.
“I obviously want to float faster, and I have a really hard time with not kicking. I rely mostly on my arms and pulling. My coaches are teaching me how to flip quicker and kick more.”
Rohr said there is strong competition between her and two teammates in the distance freestyles.
The senior also enjoys swimming the 400 free relay and she likes to swim anchor in that event.
Rohr swam at Shields Park Pool during the summers and said there is a big difference swimming long course (50 yards) at the park and short course (25) yards at the high school.
For Rohr, having a good attitude is important to any sport you participate in.
“Mental (toughness) is very important when it comes to swimming,” Rohr said. “You have to believe in yourself and know that you can meet your goals. It is very hard if you go out there with a tough attitude think ‘that person has a better time than me and I’m not going to beat them,’ so you really have to prepare yourself and say ‘I know I can do it.’’’
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Name: Libby Rohr
School: Seymour High School
Parents: Brian and Susie Rohr
Siblings: Alec
Sports: swimming 4 years
Athletic honors: freshman-most improved, sophomore-state relay alternate.
Organizations: D.A.R.E. Role Model, Latin Club, Renaissance Club, 4H
Plans after high school: attend IUPUI
Favorite food: pasta
Favorite TV show: “Gossip Girl”
Favorite music: Florida Georgia Line
Favorite movie: “White Chicks”
Favorite teams: Purdue Boilermakers
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