SPORTSINK.COM PHOTO

On Senior Day earlier this season, Wadsworth senior freestyler Elaina Lanson is the SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Jan. 23-29.

Most high school swimmmers would be thrilled to qualify for the state meet one time in career. Wadsworth senior sprint freestyler Elaina Lanson is soon to be a four-year state qualiifer.

A state finalist last winter, Lanson is our SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Jan. 23-29, after setting meet records at the Suburban League championships last Friday in winning the 50 and 100 freestyle events.

“It all started for me at the age of 7 for my club team, and I have been swimming ever since," she said.

And the Grizzlies are glad she has.

“She is a pleasure to coach," Wadsworth coach Autumn Reeves said. "I appreciate her hard work for the team and for the sport.”

Lanson has accepted a scholarship to swim at Georgia Southern University next season.

“I love the South, and once I got there, I fell in love with the team, the coach and the school," she said. "I can’t wait to get there.”

Lanson emphasized practice time and weight lifting during the season, and how those aspects of the sport are demanding but so important to success.

“It is tough to get everything in, but I can see it really pays off,” Lanson said.

For decades, the Wadsworth boys and girls teams practiced and held their home meets at Steiner Youth Center, which was adjacent to the current Wadsworth High School. But that facility was demolished to make way for the construction of the new high school, and as such the Grizzlies have had to move their practices this season to Barberton’s Lake Anna YMCA and their home meets to Wooster High School.

Lanson believes that has had an impact on the teams' performances.

“We miss our home," she said. "The travel and all the other things that go with it have been difficult for our teams."

But not dfficult enough to keep Elaina Lanson from excelling once again for the Grizzlies.

Elaina Lanson

Senior

Wadsworth High School

Swimming

TV:  “Gossip Girl”

Movie:  “Stick-It”

Pizza:  Pepperoni, no cheese

Home Cooking:  Lasagna

IPod:  Anything by Lil Wayne

Class:  “The Bruin”

Bucket List:  Cliff diving