Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

Before itís too late, let this story serve as a friendly reminder. With the Section 7AA girls swimming and diving meet set to open on Thursday, Nov. 9 in Blaine, seniors Janel Duffy and Amanda Nelson are quickly joining the list of Rangersí endangered species: senior captains who will close out remarkable careers that have lasted so long itís hard to recall a time when they didnít roam the Forest Lake landscape. Fortunately, theyíre both likely to qualify for the state meet, which gives you one more chance to see them in action in what seems like their natural habitat. The water.

And there must be something in the water because while one swims with extraordinary ease, and the other dives with power and grace, their stories are oddly similar.

With multiple trips to state between them one would think they got their start early in life and arrived to the high school program with great expectations and fanfare.

Guess again.

Duffy spent the summer before seventh grade diving at her friendís pool and decided to try out for the team. Never mind that Forest Lake was already two weeks into practice. Duffy had one week and counting to show what she could do.

ìJanel is going to be missed because from the start of her 7th grade year, she has proven that she belongs on this team over and over again,î head diving coach Deb Welch said.

Back in 2001, Welch was the assistant and had to persuade the head coach to build for the future and keep some of the younger competitors. Duffy worked so hard that she earned a spot on the varsity roster by learning all of the diving categories and then beat out a couple of older, more experienced divers.

That same summer, Nelson made a similar decision.

ìI started swimming in 7th grade, and the reason I saw was just to get in shape.î

She couldnít have exactly been ìout of shapeî because it didnít take long for her to move into the upper echelons of the sport.

ìI came back in 8th grade and I made state that year,î she shares with a laugh that still says, I had no idea that would happen. ìI mean, just out of nowhere! I really enjoyed it after that and thatís when I started being serious about it.î

Rochelle McKenzie started coaching Forest Lake during Nelsonís freshman year, so she saw firsthand what a serious Nelson could accomplish.

ìShe was strictly a freestyler,î McKenzie says. ìI was convinced that she was a closet (butter) flyer and put her in the 100 fly at our first dual meet, which was against Park. She ended up getting first place with a 1:06.57.î

By the end of her 9th grade season, Nelson broke the school record with a 1:01.08, and as McKenzie puts it, ìsheís been doing it ever since.î

Currently, her best time is a 58.06 and that has her slotted behind Rachel Frederickson of Stillwater for the second best time this season.

ìIím hoping I can take second at state,î Nelson says about the 100 butterfly. ìThatís my goal for this season.î

Also shooting for big things this month is Duffy, who is looking to make state for the third consecutive year and cap off a tremendous career in the pool.

ìItís been a really awesome senior year,î she says. ìI feel as a team, also, not just diving but diving and swimming, that ever since 7th grade weíve become more of a team instead of two separate things.î

Judging by what their coaches say, Duffy and Nelson are a large reason for the change in attitude. Welch and McKenzie canít say enough about the character of these two girls and how that carries over to the rest of the squad: encouraging, teaching, cheering, you name it. If it helps the other swimmers and divers, these two are leading the way.

ìI donít think thereís one person on the team that canít help but smile and get encouragement out of their almost comical routine before each of their events, which consists of them hugging each other, then breaking apart to do their mighty girls pose,î Welch says. ìIím not sure who is going to take this up next year, but they better know that it will be a tough act to follow, but well worth the effort if they try.î

So donít miss out on the final acts of Duffy and Nelson, who are only in town for a limited engagement.

How will it end?

ìWith a bang!î McKenzie says, and Welch agrees with a nod toward both girls making it to state. Yet it all comes back to who Duffy and Nelson are as people as opposed to what theyíve achieved.

ìWhat I will miss most with Amanda is the daily smiles and joking back and forth,î says Welch, the diving coach, about Nelson, the swimmer. ìIíll miss Amanda the cheerleader for her fellow swimmers no matter what team they're on. Iíll miss the days that Amanda tries diving and makes us all happy that she can swim better than she can dive.

ìItís kind of like sending some of my kids off to college again. You stand back and feel proud that you got to be a part of their lives, and smile to yourself when you see how well they turned out.î

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605