This past week from May 9th to May 10th, one of our very own Palisade Bulldogs qualified for the boys swim and dive state championships in Denver. Gavin Burkes, a Freshman who has been swimming since he was five years old, qualified with four other teammates from Grand Junction High School. Burke and the others experienced an environment and opportunity that challenges, but also rewards individual growth and mindset.
Burke showed tremendous growth at the state championships. “It went great,” said Burke. “It went much better than I expected. We had a really confident team and we went in strong. We were seeded 31st and came in 22nd on the relay. Sadly, we barely missed finals.” The experience that was witnessed by Burke was one like no other. “The environment was super hyped for sure. There were tons of people and it was super crowded. Everyone was there to win, so it was super crazy.” Even though he is only a Freshman, Burke still had many advantages as he went into the state championships. “Going into the competition some of my strengths were speed. I am taller and lean which is definitely an advantage in the sport.” This was an amazing opportunity for Burke and his teammates. With everything that was learned from this experience, Burke believes that he “for sure” has a chance to qualify again next year. Congratulations to Gavin and the other swimmers on great success throughout their season and at State!