Smithfield Swimmer "Fuels" Self with Healthy Diet

Smithfield High School Swim Team
Freshman Daniel Petrinko

Head Coach Cathy Riddick sees this young swimmer as a future star for the Packers. I got a chance to catch up with him, and here's what he has to say.

1. What is your favorite event and what event are you best at?
"I like the 50 freestyle, and I am also the best at that event."

2. What events do you normally swim in the meets?

"The 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 200 IM."

3. What do you consider to be the hardest stroke and why?

"Butterfly. It takes a lot of energy to propell yourself."

4. Do you have any pre-meet rituals? What are they?

"I eat nutritional bars to fuel myself before I take off. I also stretch to get in a rhythm. I think through how I will dive, so I can transfer all the drils into my stroke."

5. What do you like best about swimming in general?

"It's not a contact sport and cannot hurt you. It's generally one of the best sports. I like it a lot."

6. What motivates you to get through a two hour swimming practice, swimming from one end to the other continuously?

"Friends. The hope that I will get better and the hope that I will go to states."