Nate Harris
Willowbrook
What's the mood as the team enters the postseason?
Definitely a lot more excitement. We've really started swimming a lot faster and doing a lot more sprinting and fast-paced work rather than yardage. It helps boost our morale.
When did you start swimming competitively?
I joined a summer team at a really young age, maybe 5 or 6. My older brother was doing it so I kind of just followed in his footsteps. I just stuck with it through all these years.
What does it take to be a successful swimmer?
A lot of determination and definitely perseverance. If you have a bad practice, you've got to stick with it because there are going to be better days ahead.
How have you evolved as an athlete?
I think I've learned a lot more about my body and how to recover and maximize my performance through diet and getting enough sleep.
How would your teammates describe you?
I think I lead by example. Sometimes I'll use my voice, but normally I just try to set a good example for all the kids to model.
Do you have any pre-meet rituals?
Before Saturday meets my mom always cooks up some scrambled eggs. It's my preferred breakfast.
What's the key to Central swimming's success?
When you bring in so many talented swimmers, they kind of just feed off each other. We use each other to get faster. We hang out a lot on weekends and build those bonds that allow us to push each other even more.
Siblings?
I have an older brother, Ben, who is at the University of Minnesota.
Where are you headed next?
I've committed to swim at the University of Wisconsin. For Christmas, my brother and each got a T-shirt of a badger and a gopher fighting each other.
Why does head coach Bob Barber like having Harris on the squad?
He is the one I turn to for advice this year. Whether it be lineup writing to team morale, Nate has had his finger on the pulse of this program. His hard work and enthusiasm carry this program to the next level. He has been able to compete at the highest level in all of the events we have here in high school.
- profile by Ken Knutson, photo by Jim Slonoff
