Katie Hale, a junior swimmer at the University of Idaho majoring in environmental science, is the only “senior” on this year’s swim and dive team, which is made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores. Because she is graduating early, Hale will be competing in her last swim meet as a Vandal at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 17-20.
Hale said she enjoyed being a leader for her team, even through the adverse challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions on practices and meets over the season. Most of their meets were canceled for the 2020-21 season and they spent the majority of their time in practice much farther apart than usual, putting Hale and her team in a unique position to form renewed bonds.
“I’ve really enjoyed kind of being a leader on the team,” Hale said. “And I’m really grateful that we have a season and that our campus has been open, and that we’ve been able to train still.”
Hale grew up in Park City, Utah, and began swimming after her mother got her interested in the sport when she was a child. Her brother was able to get involved as well, forming a sibling duo in the pool. As Hale grew older, she became more committed to the sport and participated in competitions throughout high school, eventually catching the eye of recruiters from several colleges.
“It was just something really fun that my brother and I got to do together,” Hale said.
Hale said while she was a high school student, UI head swim coach Mark Sowa persistently recruited her to swim for the Vandals. After a visit to UI’s campus and being able to see the swim team in person, Hale said she knew quickly this was the right place for her. She said she immediately got along well with the rest of the team and they accepted her as part of the Vandal family swiftly.
Hale was also interested in UI’s academic side. She said she was searching for a college with a quality environmental science degree and UI was just the place to get what she wanted. UI provided many opportunities to learn more about environmental science while getting hands-on research at a land grant university.
“It was a really easy decision for me, and I’m super glad that I ended up here,” Hale said. “I clicked really well with the girls that were here and with Mark, and the environmental science program here is amazing.”
Hale said the transition from high school swim to college competition was a slight adjustment for her. She said the physical distance, especially over such a long period of time, between her and her family was one of the most challenging things to deal with. She said balancing a new training schedule as a collegiate athlete with a very different life routine, compared to high school, was also challenging, but she was able to get used to it the longer she stayed.
“I definitely was not used to the hours and I had never lifted weights before,” Hale said. “It was really different being so far away from home, I had never really been away from home without my family before.”
Traveling to the University of Utah is the next step in Hale’s adventure. She’ll be striving toward receiving her master’s degree while continuing to swim for the Utes. Hale will be able to complete two additional years as a collegiate athlete because the NCAA recognizing the 2020-2021 season as a redshirt season due to COVID-19 and graduating from UI one year early.
Hale said that, overall, she had a great experience at UI both on the swim team and in her degree program. She said the toughest challenges she faced were COVID-19 restrictions posed during her final season with the Vandals, but that she will remember her time there fondly despite them.
“I’ve had the best time swimming here and being a student-athlete, and it’s just been an amazing school,” Hale said. “It’s definitely been an interesting season. And we’ve definitely had to make some sacrifices and change our training.”
Hale said Sowa’s mentorship throughout her college career, both in and out of the pool, is what helped her get through college quick enough to graduate early, a feat not many students accomplish.
“He’s been nothing but supportive and has taught me a lot about what it means to be a teammate and what it means to be a person,” Hale said. “He’s really given me the tools to be as successful as I am in the pool, and also academically.”
The WAC Championships take place in St. George, Utah Feb. 17-20. Hale will be competing in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Each season there have been unique highlights for Hale during the WAC Championships.
“The energy is always super different. It’s kind of like the buildup of the season. So that’s something I look forward to,” Hale said. “There’s a lot of uncertainties with the meet. But I think that just makes it even more exciting.”
Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected]