Within the waters of a pool, you can find one of Palisade’s most notable swimmers. Gavin Burke is this week’s Athlete of the Week, brought to you by Palisade Dino Mart.
Swimming for at least ten years, Burke has grown up constantly breathing (not literally) and living the sport. In fact, he can’t imagine himself without it. “Swimming is a passion of mine,” Burke says. Only being a sophomore, Burke has always been dedicated to the art of swimming. His favorite event is the fifty freestyle, which he almost always places. Just his freshman year, Burke already competed at the State competition and plans to do so again. “Last year we all had a relay and we were trying to build up the team and get good,” Burke explains, “sadly we didn’t have anybody qualify individually but this year I hope we do.” His goal this season is to qualify individually in the 1500 free and to take the entire team to State with the relays. Burke wants to tell everyone interested in the sport to, “Just frickin’ do it. Join the team, work hard, it’s lots of fun, it makes you a better athlete and a better person, and the environment is great. I love it.” When asked about his favorite part of the sport, Burke instantly answered with his teammates. “The boys from Palisade, Dom and Jack, they’re just excellent guys and friends of mine. They make the sport fun and keep me going.” Outside of swimming, Burke is a prominent member of the Student Council. He also enjoys playing electric guitar whenever he’s not swimming across a pool. His favorite part about this season so far has been the good vibes from everyone, the hard work, and just being able to train with everyone. If he were to give any advice to an incoming freshman considering joining the swim team, his advice would be: “The hard work pays off and it’s going to be really tough sometimes but if you just power through, you’ll be alright.” Congratulations Gavin Burke for being named male Athlete of the Week!
