By: Carolyn M. Hartko
In sports that have strong youth programs, it’s unusual to see someone walk onto a high school team cold, and immediately make a difference. But that’s exactly what Danielle Eige did when she decided to go out for the South Brunswick High School swim team as a freshman.
"I started late," the 17-year-old senior said. "I didn’t have any high school sport for freshman year. I figured since I knew how to swim, I’d go out for the team."
Four years later, Eige is a four-year varsity swimmer, a team captain, and one of the most versatile swimmers on the girls’ roster.
"Since day one of her freshman year, she’s just had a certain trait," Viking head coach John Harding said. "She just doesn’t ever give up. She gives 150 percent all the time. You could just point her out from the start by how hard she worked. And that hard work and drive that she has, there’s been nothing like it since I’ve been the coach of the team. She’s someone who’s put the effort in, and you can see the benefits. She’s done an outstanding job."
Unlike many of her teammates who came into the high school with competitive experience from club and summer swim teams, Eige joined the outside groups after the Viking program sparked her interest. Now, she also swims for the Riptide YMCA team year round, and for the Willows Swim Club in the summer.
This year, Eige is doing what is expected of any good senior performing where the team needs her most. But it’s usually one of the shorter races. Last week, she set a personal best in the 100 meter freestyle of 58.6 seconds. Her best in the 100 butterfly is 1:06.5, and she’s gotten down to 1:14.3 in the breaststroke.
"Danielle’s just an all-around swimmer," Harding said. "She can swim it all right now ‘fly, 50 free, 100 free, breaststroke, IM. She’s very dependable, very dedicated. She has an absolutely great attitude and work ethic, as far as putting everything she’s got into practice. You love to have a kid like that."
Eige’s penchant for trying new things led her to the Lady Vikings’ golf team, which became a varsity sport just last spring. She plans on returning to earn a second varsity letter in that sport this year. She claims she’s not a very good golfer, but has had a lot of fun with it.
Although swimming has become a huge part of Eige’s life, she has found time to get involved in other high school clubs. She’s a member of S.A.D.D., the National Honor Society and the Renaissance Committee. Over the past year, she’s also been a volunteer for Special Olympics. And somehow, she fits in a part-time job at the Bunker Hill Golf Course where she splits time between the concession stand and the pro shop.
Eige hopes to continue her swimming career in college, and has already been in touch with several coaches. She’s looking mostly in New Jersey with The College of New Jersey, Rider, Rowan and Fairleigh Dickinson topping the list, along with Drexel in Pennsylvania. Although math is a favorite high school subject for this mostly A student, Eige is planning on majoring in business next year, specifically Management Information Systems.
With everything that’s on her plate, Eige doesn’t have much free time, but what little she has, she likes to spend on the computer, instant messaging her friends, playing games, or doing some research for school projects by surfing the web. She calls it a "big time-waster," but using the computer can be considered a modern day hobby.
Swimming and golf are both life sports, and Eige is hoping that she will continue to be active with both long after her high school and college careers are just memories. But even as a teenager, she’s having fun, at least with swimming. At home, Eige is the eldest of two girls. Her 11-year-old sister Katelyn is a future scholar-athlete for the Vikings. For Katelyn, and other young girls thinking about participating in high school sports, Danielle has a few words of advice.
"Definitely try it," Eige said. "I had no idea if I could play any sports at all, and then I ended up making varsity my freshman year. So, just try something new."
SPLASHES: The Vikings split with Montgomery last Friday night. The boys won 88-82. Jon Cusack doubled, taking the 500 free and the backstroke. Other individual winners were Mike Nicoara (‘fly) and Brett Niebanck (200 free)…The Lady Vikings lost 114-56, only winning four events. Amy Wolf aced the 200 IM and the breaststroke, and Eige took the 50 and 100 free, both with personal best times.

