Feb. 19, 2003
By Elizabeth Goers
Fun and passion are two items necessary to keep a person moving through life. Junior Marie Labosky has been able to incorporate these characteristics into her life through her sport, swimming.
“My main goal throughout swimming has always been to have fun. If I’m not having any fun, I won’t swim fast,” Labosky said.
A junior from Churchville, Pa., who is majoring in American studies, Labosky is in her 13th year of competitive swimming. Although, her parents originally placed her in the sport to give her an outlet for excess energy, Labosky developed a passion for the sport instantly.
“I’ve loved swimming since I got in the water for the first time,” Labosky recalled.
Involved with United States Swimming (USS) Clubs throughout her childhood and adolescence, Labosky was a highly successful swimmer. At Archbishop Wood High School, she was named team Most Valuable Swimmer as a freshman, was an 11-time All-American, was nationlly-ranked as a sophomore, junior and senior, swam the backstroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay team which tied the national prep school record and was named Philadelphia Swimmer of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Undefeated throughout her high school career, Labosky’s ultimate achievement though came as a senior when she qualified for four events at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Labosky swam the 200 and 400 IM and the 100 and 200 backstroke.
Labosky has continued her successful ways as a member of the Irish women’s swimming team. In her first two seasons, shehas qualified for NCAA meet swimming both the 200 and 400 individual medleys and the 1,650 freestyle. Labosky won the 2001 BIG EAST championship in the 200 IM, and earned honorable mention All-America honors after placing 11th at the 2001 NCAA meet in the 400 IM. She also holds Notre Dame records in both the 200 and 400 IM, swimming the 200 in 2:01.74 and the 400 in 4:14.47.
Labosky is focused on achieving similar success at the 2003 BIG EAST Championships this weekend in Uniondale, N.Y. Labosky has the top time in the conference in the 400 individual medley and ranks second in the 1,650 freestyle, third in the 200 backstroke and seventh in the 200 IM.
She also hopes to qualify for a third consecutive year for the NCAA Championships, set for March 20-22 in Auburn, Ala.
Notre Dame head coach Bailey Weathers believes she will reach her goals due to her dedication. He has seen Labosky continually demonstrate great energy, commitment to the team and her swimming.
“Marie is really energetic about the sport and Notre Dame,” Weathers said.
“She has always done extra work on her own, and she’s a real serious trainer. She is a versatile athlete who competes well and expects a lot out of herself. She is going to swim really well at the BIG EAST Championships. Our goal is for her to place high and to have her qualify for the NCAA’s.”
To have an intense love of a sport can be tough. This is especially true at the collegiate level, where the demands are high and the time commitment extensive. With this in mind, despite all of her achievements including being named a BIG EAST Academic All-Star, Labosky believes her greatest accomplishment has been her ability to maintain her love for swimming and to still have fun participating in the sport.
“I am still in the sport, and I still love it,” Labosky said.
“A lot of swimmers can start to hate it; some even grow to resent it. I feel the best thing I’ve been able to do has been to continue to love the sport. Swimming is my passion.”