PRINCETON: PHS junior has record in sight

Cassidy swimming for win

By Rich Fisher, The Packet Group
   In a couple of short years, Victoria Cassidy has gone from a freshman with talent to one of the driving forces of the Princeton High School girls swim team.
   Still with talent, of course.
   ”In light of the graduation of last year’s great class, she’s carrying even more weight for us this year than before,” said Little Tigers coach Greg Hand. “We have put her in virtually every event as needed, and she gives us great swims in everything. Her versatility is amazing, and her approach to the team and the sport couldn’t be better.
   ”As a junior, she is a real center of gravity on the team. She trains extremely hard with her club, yet she’s on deck a lot more than she is required to be, and always contributes a lot of spirit. She is also a great competitor. She races hard, and then, win or lose, she moves on to the next thing.”
   Hand noted that the Cranbury resident is within striking distance of the PHS record in the backstroke and 500 freestyle. This weekend, Cassidy has a 400-meter freestyle record on her mind at the Mercer County Championships, which run Thursday through Saturday at Lawrence High School.
   ”I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve been swimming the 500 a lot this season,” she said. “I was kind of thinking about swimming that. Since it’s a meter pool, it will be a 400 and I’ll try and go for the meet record in that. This is only the second year for the 400 and one of my teammates (the graduated Kathleen Morrison) holds it now.”
   So, if the goal is the record, then. . .
   ”The goal is to win,” Cassidy said. “That would be nice.”
   This would be Victoria’s first shot at swimming the distance freestyle race at the MCT. Last year she took second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 back.
   This year, she would like to break into that county winner’s circle.
   ”I feel like it’s definitely a good year to try and swim for something in the counties,” she said. “I just feel more confident this year with all my training and stuff. I feel it might be a good year to try and win something.”
   Cassidy’s hopes come despite the fact that Princeton usually puts more emphasis on the state meet.
   ”The whole team gears their training toward states, and we never taper for counties,” she said. “I always try to do my best in counties, but we usually save it for the state meet.
   ”It would be nice, though, to win something there. It’s fun swimming and racing in a different environment to try and beat people we race against all year.”
   Cassidy has been nothing short of outstanding this season, winning practically every event she has swam.
   This past week has been somewhat stressful due to exams, but there is a silver lining. After the tension of exam week, the pressure of a county meet won’t seem quite as bad.
   ”I’ve been swimming a lot of good times throughout the season,” she said. “It’s been tough the last week or so with exams; I’ve just been really busy and distracted with all the schoolwork.
   ”Now, I’m just looking forward toward competing in the counties and states because all the stress (of exams) is behind me. It will be fun to just get out there and go fast.”
   As a team, the Little Tigers are not expected to compete for the title. They finished third last year, which was a pleasant surprise.
   ”We pulled something off really cool,” said Cassidy, who is guessing she might also do the 200 IM and swim in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. “This year we’re not as strong as last year. We’ll just be trying to swim as fast as we can, get as many points as we can and have fun with it.”
   And with that fun could come some nice accomplishments for Cassidy.
   ”On an individual level,” Hand noted, “there’s a lot for her to shoot for.”
   And she’s shooting for it in her new role as a PHS leader.