Persistent. Strong. Positive. These three words best describe senior swimmer Sarah Pataniczek.
Pataniczek was inspired to join swim when she was 11 years old by her older sister who swam on Northview’s swim team.
Years of hard work led Pataniczek to break seven school records in two years (2017-2018). She has two relay and five individual records. Pataniczek’s success in her sophomore year made her work even harder during the 2018 season.
During her junior swim season, Pataniczek learned that she had a torn labrum (a socket shaped joint) in her shoulder. The inflammation from the tear didn’t decrease with rest, meaning her only option was surgery.
Despite her surgery at the beginning of the 2019 swim season, Pataniczek continued doing what she loves. Once her stitches healed, she was right back in the water. Pataniczek goes to every swim practice and does her best with one arm.
Both in and out of the water, Pataniczeck is an inspiration to her teammates.
“She has the strongest work ethic, and everyone wanted to be as fast as her,” senior swimmer Cyndey Eastman said.
As an underclassman, sophomore swimmer Mary Dowhan is equally inspired by Pataniczek. She looks up to her, which seems to be a common trend on the team. Dowhan reflects on her first encounters with Pataniczeck her freshman year.
“She was this amazing person and if she said hi to me I would freak out,” Dowhan said.
Dowhan says that Pataniczeck is a reminder to the team that they can get through whatever struggle they are facing.
After Pataniczecks surgery, she wasn’t able to mentor the girls in the pool the same way she did before. This season she supported them verbally.
“She communicates how to race and what they should be doing work ethic wise,” swim coach Rob Damuth said.
Even though Pataniczek had a physical set back, she won’t let that get her down and doesn’t want other injured athletes to give up. She knows that her love of swimming is bigger than just one season and although she has to rest now it is vital to her recovery and future.
“I’m thinking about how I’m dealing with this now so I can enjoy swimming again,” Pataniczeck said.
