EDWARDSVILLE – Lilly Mathes, who swims for the Paddlers Swim Club in Granite City, enjoyed a successful meet at the Southwest Illinois Swimming Association Relays, held June 24 at the Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville. She enjoys her time swimming and competing for the Pirates.
Mathes, 13, is an avid swimmer who enjoys the fun aspects of swimming, and also enjoys being with her friends during the summer season, and she expressed it during an interview held in the early part of the meet.
Mathes is a Stillwater Senior Living Granite City Female Athlete Of Month.
“Yeah, this is always a fun meet of the year,” Mathes said, “because I like watching everyone swim, and everyone’s always here. It’s fun to take on the relays with my friends, because that’s the whole point of summer swim for me, is swimming with my friends.”
During the winter season, Mathes swims for a local YMCA team, which is a competitive team in its own right, not like the Monroe County Seadogs, or the Metro-East Titans of Edwardsville.
“I swim for a Y,” Mathes said, “so it’s not on the level, like the Titans or the Seadogs. But I still swim year round. It’s a good way to keep me active, and it’s the first sport I’ve ever really liked,” she said with a smile.
She’s hoping to swim for Granite City High one day and is headed into eighth grade.
When it comes to the sport itself, Mathes had a simple philosophy behind her love for the sport.
“I kind of just do it to have fun,” Mathes said, “and stay active. But, more goes down, as far as the pool is. You can in a straight line, until, essentially, you can’t. Just go, it’s one event, and put all your energy into it, and hope you have a long break,” she said with a laugh.
Mathes does have a big goal in mind for her summer season with the Pirates.
“I really want to medal at SWISA,” Mathes said. “because I’ve never done that. I was third in the Highland pentathlon this last Saturday (June 22), and I would really like to medal in SWISA, because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do”
Mathes said she wants to stay involved with swimming and would like to coach one day.
“I started helping with little kid practices at my pool, and it’s a great time,” she said. “I’d really like to continue the sport as a coach.”
Mathes also has some good advice for kids thinking about getting involved in swimming, but may be too afraid to, for whatever reason.
“If you don’t like swimming now, when you’re younger,” Mathes said, “if you think it’s not fun, or put your face in the water, just do it. It gets better as you get older. You make friends, it’s really a fun experience, and I’m glad I get to be a part of it.”
Again, congrats to Lilly Mathes on her honor as a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete Of Month for Granite City.
