McCluer North High School (MNHS) sophomore Madison Mittler is the first female swimmer to qualify for an individual event at the state meet in over a decade and the first McCluer North High School swimmer to compete at the meet since 2016 season. She qualified in the 200 individual medley (IM) and the 100 backstroke where she ranked 17, one spot away from qualifying for finals. Mittler holds the MNHS record for both of these events.

“It’s been a goal of mine just to go to state for a long time,” said Mittler. “Knowing that I’m the first female swimmer to go to state in over a decade is pretty cool! It makes me want to work even harder so I can be the ‘first’ for other things out there.”

Achieving what Mittler has done is no easy feat. She goes on and explains her process for coping with nervousness, and how it was used as a catalyst for her victory.

“I try to think that these swim meets are just like everything else, so my nervousness turns into adrenaline during a race,” she said. “My coaches also help me out a lot!”

Although Mittler is only a sophomore, she already has goals beyond high school and the pool.

“I plan on possibly going into the military. If that doesn’t work out, then I’d like to go to school for criminal justice and psychology so I can go to law school to be a defense attorney,” said Mittler.