By Maleena Luckadoo
Makena Scholten, class of 2024, a swimmer at Hamilton High School started swimming when she was in middle school. She is a senior this year and has been on varsity for four years. In middle school, Makena took a week of swim taught by Mr. Talsma, and one day Talsma called her over and asked if she had ever done swimming competitively. She answers with a no and so it began.
Makena has been swimming for 7 years and this year her event is distance. When asked how she feels about this year being her last high school season her response was this;
“It makes me sad. We had a pool party the other day at Keria’s house and I sat there for a second and thought wow, I don’t get to this anymore.”
Makena’s motivation comes from her Coach, Matt Oonk, and her teammates. When she goes into a negative headspace they are the ones who can pull her back out. Makena says there is the possibility that she continues her swim journey on to college but it is not certain. She is a two-sport athlete she does swim and dive in the fall and track in the spring.
Swim has taught Makena “…not to view failure as a reason to stop or give up, but to use it as motivation to be better and work harder. It taught me that positivity is a crucial component not only in athletics but in everyday life. If you keep a negative attitude you’ll be miserable, stay positive and your performance will reflect that.”
Although this is her last year swimming for Hamilton High School we can’t wait to see what she does in the future.