THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996 TAG: 9601310457
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Less than a second.
That's all there is between Norfolk Collegiate swimmer Melanie Stein and her goal of qualifying for the Junior Nationals. The 14-year-old needs to clip
For now, her efforts to reach that goal are bringing her a stellar season with the Oaks. So far Stein has won all six of her 100 backs, and also starred in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle.
Last week, she demonstrated her diversity, winning the 100-yard butterfly, the 100-yard freestyle and swimming a leg of the first-place 400-yard freestyle relay against Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools rival Norfolk Christian. Her performance earned her the Virginian-Pilot's female athlete of the week award.
``She's an excellent swimmer,'' coach Kathi Woodington said. ``She's come in first in everything that she has swum. She loves the backstroke, her times (in it) are so low there's no one even close to her.''
Stein also swims for Old Dominion Aquatic Club, an elite amateur team. Because of her commitment to ODAC, she doesn't have time to practice with Norfolk Collegiate. Instead, she practices six to eight times a week with the club team.
Last year as an eighth grader she earned the TCIS swimmer of the year award.
``This year I want to win state,'' Stein said. ``Last year, I finished second to Bess Frank (of Norfolk Academy), who graduated.''
After six years of training, Stein has grown accustomed to lengthy practices and multiple meets. Now she sees them as a steppingstone to her goals.
``I like it,'' Stein said. ``Right now, I'm enjoying it. I've gotten used to it and I'm more into it. I like the team unity. Everybody is friends.''
Stein is strong in both the short and long distances.
``She swims the 500 freestyle in 5:23, which is very fast,'' Woodington said. ``She does the sprinting and the long distances very well.''
The swimmer, though, says she needs more physical strength to reach her goals.
``I'm not strong enough right now,'' Stein said. ``I work on the technical things. I watch people at the meets.''
Although she constantly battles the stopwatch, time is on Stein's side too.
``I still have four years to do it,'' she said of making the nationals. by CNB