Courtesy of Magnolia Aquatic Club
After leading their high schools to class 5A and 6A state championships on Saturday in Austin, TX with dominating individual performances, the Magnolia Aquatic Club’s (MAC) Joy Field and Lucie Nordmann hopped on a plane for Colorado Springs, CO to join their National Junior teammates at the Olympic Training Center for a week of pool and classroom training focused toward gaining a better understanding of national team culture and community.
High School State Titles
On Saturday at the 6A State High School Championship, Nordmann took the 50-yard free (22.69) and 100-yard backstroke (52.48) titles and led off her high school’s winning relays in the 200-yard medley and 400-yard free relays for a golden Saturday. The 16-year-old, junior and her teammates at The Woodlands High School won the girls’ team title.
Later the same day and in the same venue, the Joe and Lee Jamail Swimming Center on the University of Texas campus, Field competed at the state’s 5A championship and won the 500-yard free (4:45.76), a bronze in the 200-yard free (1:49.32), and was part of her school’s winning performances in the 200-yard and 400-yard free relays. The 18-year-old, senior and her Magnolia High School teammates won the girls’ Texas 5A State Championship.
For complete Texas 5A and 6A state championship results, visit the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) site here.
National Junior Team Camp in Colorado Springs
Field and Nordmann are two of 66 athletes from across the country to qualify for USA Swimming’s National Junior Team. At the camp in Colorado Springs, they will experience the day-to-day routine of a national team athlete and use the state-of-the art-training facilities. The camp also features classroom discussions about post-race recovery, psychological training skills, nutrition, and race strategy. The athletes will also hear from Olympians Maya DiRado and Amanda Weir about their national team and Olympic experiences.
“Lucie and Joy are talented athletes, who train and compete at a high level and manage it well with school, and their family life,” said Terry Jones, MAC’s Head Coach. “Having achieved what they did on Saturday in Austin for their high schools, and then to get on a plane to attend this camp for a week is impressive, when you think about the demands on their time. In Colorado Springs, they will learn things that will help them advance their swimming, and they will also get a chance to get to know their national teammates better. It will be time well spent.”
Mitch Dalton, U.S.A. National Junior Team Program Director, said in a press release, “Many of these swimmers will continue to progress and become the future generation of USA Swimming’s national and Olympic team. One of the main goals of the camp is to continue build their understanding of national team culture and community.”
After the camp, Field and Nordmann head back to Magnolia before heading to Austin to compete in the American Short Course Championship, March 2-4.
About Magnolia Aquatic Club (MAC)
MAC is a year-round, competitive swim club based out of the Michael D. Holland Aquatic Center located on the Magnolia High School campus. The club, which holds a Silver Medal Club status in USA Swimming’s National Club Excellence Program, employs six coaches for more than 250 swimmers in programs that range from teaching children the basics to high-performance, training groups that target state, national, and international competitions. For more information, visit www.magnoliaaquaticclub.