Macie McCallum-Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week

The Oswego East girls’ swimming program, and its head coach Deryl Leubner, are known for their success. If the lady wolves can swim their way to a conference championship this season,this would mark the 5th successive year accomplishing the feat. Last year’s senior led squad also sent 6 girls to state, but lost 5 of those competitors to graduation. If this year’s squad hopes to achieve similar success, the new additions will have to rely heavily on those that have been there before. One of those swimmers, Macie McCallum, is hoping to help lead the lady wolves’ swimmers, and is this week’s Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week.

Macie’s success as a swimmer is well documented. She was part of a varsity squad that won conference last year, and she qualified for state in the 500 freestyle. Her leadership, along with Captain Jessica James, will be relied on to help lead a team that is comprised of mostly under classmen.

Never satisfied with past accomplishments, Macie is hoping to once again qualify for state in the 500 freestyle, but improve on her time and place in at least the top 12 in state, as well as swim the event under 5 minutes. Her goals also include qualifying in the 200 freestyle and help lead her team to their 5th straight conference championship.

For those of us who swim recreationally, swimming is more about tanning lotion, pool games, and fun. For competitive swimming, on the other hand, the grind can sometimes be overwhelming. Each practice has the girls swim for 2 hours and work for 1 hour on dry land, doing strength and core exercises. As they get deeper into the season, the girls will be asked to add an hour of swimming in the morning, in addition to the 3 hours they put in after school. “There are no days off in swimming,” says Macie, “If you miss a day because you are sick, there is no way to make up that conditioning, which puts you behind everyone else.”

In a sport that is such a grind, the bond between teammates is imperative. “Being with friends [is the best part about swimming],” says Macie. She adds, “[Swimming] is mentally tough because it is so demanding-friends help each other get through the sets and it brings us closer together.”

Longtime coach Deryl Leubner has seen his share of gifted athletes. Having coached Macie since she was a youth in the Delta Aquatics program, coach Leubner has seen her mature and explains, “Macie is extremely dedicated to her sport and is one of the hardest working athletes I have coached.” Leubner goes on to say, “Macie has grown tremendously as an athlete and a leader of the team. She is outspoken when necessary and is a very optimistic person. She is respected by her peers for her integrity in her actions and words.”

Macie’s determination and will help drive her to be successful in the classroom as well. Macie has earned a 4.214 G.P.A., which is good enough to rank her 31st of 575 students in the junior class. In addition to her rigorous swimming schedule, her classes demand as much, if not more of, her time after school than swimming does. Macie is currently enrolled in two advanced placement classes, as well as advanced health, honors anatomy and physiology, and pre-calculus.

Being successful is something Macie’s parents, Andrew and Rhesa McCallum, have seen her work towards for a long time. “Macie takes her classes very seriously and accepts nothing but the best out of herself,” said Rhesa. She goes on to say, “She wants to be involved in everything. She strives for straight A’s ever since we can remember.”

Macie may seem all business, but this bright junior manages to keep an optimistic and positive attitude about her life, despite how chaotic it may seem. “Macie is good at adapting to the situation as needed. She adjusts easily to make things work, and is almost always smiling and easy going,” explains Rhesa.

Thankfully for Oswego East, Macie will have one more year to serve as a leader for the student body. As she continues excelling and opening doors for herself in the future, Macie’s advice to future wolves is simple, “Get involved as much as possible-the more people you meet and the more involved in high school you are the more fun you will have.”