ROBBINSVILLE: Versatile Gallindo contributing for Robbinsville

Junior making her own mark for Ravens

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   As a freshman swimmer, Jillian Gallindo was overshadowed by four of her teammates when she represented Allentown High School at the Mercer County Championships.
   Two years after that, Gallindo is one of the veterans for the Robbinsville High School girls team that includes AHS students for the second year on the combined team.
   ”There were the four that had always been together and then she was like the tag-a-long,” said Robbinsville swim coach Pam Owens. “Jillian looked like a lost puppy with these four strong Allentown swimmers. Now she’s a captain. She’s become such a leader on the team. It’s neat to see her grow from freshman to junior. It’s neat to see her confidence grow.”
   Gallindo won the 500 freestyle and helped the Ravens win the 200 free relay as they cruised by Hamilton last week, 114-56, to improve to 4-3 going into Tuesday’s scheduled meet against Hopewell Valley.
   ”I’m very happy how we’re doing,” said Gallindo, a junior. “I’m impressed by the amount of work and effort the new swimmers have put in it. A lot of the new swimmers don’t have a lot of experience, and now six weeks into it, they’re able to swim incredible races.”
   Gallindo is one of the more experienced swimmers that Robbinsville can count on in any meet. Even as a freshman, she was dependable when she represented Allentown, which did not have a full team. She reached the finals of the 500 free to help the Redbirds finish third overall with just five swimmers. The next year, they moved together to swim under the Robbinsville name.
   ”It’s so much better,” Gallindo said. “It’s a completely different experience. It’s a great opportunity to combine with Robbinsville. It makes the experience so much better.”
   In only their second year together, the Ravens are seeing signs that things will continue to progress. Robbinsville is still plenty competitive despite some significant graduation losses.
   ”We’ve been getting larger and larger as a team,” Gallindo said. “I’m looking forward to our team achieving a lot more and being more open to the incoming freshmen. It’s a really great environment and a great group of kids. It’s fun.”
   Gallindo started swimming with Peddie Aquatics eight years ago, and even then she felt more comfortable in the longer distances than the sprints. That feeling still holds true today.
   ”I’m not that great of a sprinter,” Gallindo said. “The 50 and 100 free, I’m not that good at. Usually I’m only good at distance freestyle. Even after eight years, freestyle is one of my worst strokes. Mainly I’ve been a high distance person.”
   Gallindo helps to strengthen the Ravens’ lineup by covering some of the longer events. She is part of a group that has filled in the holes in the Robbinsville lineup.
   ”I think it’s a pretty good record now,” Gallindo said. “We have a couple teams coming up, like Steinert, that will be close, and there are other teams I think we can beat. It’ll be exciting. Considering we’ve lost a lot of seniors, I think it’s a good record for now.”
   Said Owens: “We’ve got some new younger swimmers that are showing potential. We have some freshmen that came in that I think will potentially help the team become what it was last year. We had an awesome team last year, but we’re not quite there because of who we lost. With the swimmers we have and their training, we’ll get to that point eventually.”
   The boys haven’t been as fortunate. They are still looking for their first win as they head into their final four dual meets and prepare for counties.
   ”It’s definitely a depth thing,” Owens said. “They haven’t won one yet. They lost to Nottingham by two. It’s a struggle with not having the depth.
   ”I see great potential. We did get some talent. Matt Dacey, he’s an all-around swimmer. He’s never swum before. He could be great by senior year. Eric Yuen, another strong powerhouse, he never swam before. He could be amazing with the right training. It’s there, we just have to have the depth, and they have to continue with the right training. Rohan Bajaj, Dan Quiroga, my captains, they’ve been keeping the boys going and keeping them focused. I give them a lot of credit and keeping the boys where they need to be.”
   In the girls’ win over Hamilton, Kelly Whitlock won the 200 free, Taylor Johnson won the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke, Priyanka Singh took the 50 free, Alana Hopkins won the 100 butterfly, Isabella Trolle won the 100 free and Gallindo won the 500 free.
   ”We’ve lost a lot of great swimmers from last year,” Gallindo said. “We have more, but it’s hard to replace them. We’re trying to get more depth. Instead of getting first and seconds, they might get third. That’s what we’re working on.”
   Robbinsville is working to get the most out of its group. There has been consistent development since a tough opener, and the Ravens are hoping that they have enough to stay above .500 in the New Year.
   ”The new swimmers added to the team,” Owens said. “Seeing their capabilities and potential growth, the expectations of our program and the plans we have for the future are alive. Our first meet was such a devastating loss. We lost to North by two points. It was a heartbreaker for us. That was tough, but we’ve come back.
   ”We have a lot of versatility,” she said. “We’re able to swim a lot of different strokes. Some of them are club swimmers and they’ve always been trained in certain strokes. I need to teach them how to race. In dual meets, they have to understand every race counts, every place counts. We have to swim whatever the team needs.”
   Gallindo has never been too particular about what she swims, though she prefers the individual medley with distance freestyle. She has been swimming the backstroke leg of the medley relay as well as a leg of one of the sprint relays even though sprints are not her favorite thing.
   ”At high school swim meets, it’s a great environment,” Gallindo said. “It gets everyone pumped up and excited. You get excited for your teammates and hope they do well.”
   Gallindo can contribute in a variety of areas, and even outside of the pool, she has helped as a team captain.
   ”Mainly for the new swimmers, I try to encourage them to get through the race,” she said. “I try to boost their confidence and try to get the team pumped up and excited, not sitting on the sideline. That’s what I want to see most out of the team — support.”
   Gallindo values the team side to high school swimming over the usual more individual feel of her club meets. She’s looking forward to the final month and a half of the season and the championship meets. Three years ago, she quietly was representing Allentown, and last year she was an AHS swimmer competing for the first time with a Robbinsville team. This time, she will be one of the main cogs for Robbinsville as it continues to grow, just like she has.
   ”I’d like to try to go to states again this year and place well in counties,” Gallindo said. “We placed third last year, and I’d still like to be in the top five.”