Few people in life find a passion in which they truly excel. Sophomore Lola Frey has dedicated her life to swimming, practicing many hours a day, every day of the week.
Lola first learned to swim at the age of six. Her joy for being in the water quickly developed, and a few years later, when she was nine years old, she decided to take up competitive swimming.
“All swimmers come to us with limitless potential, but it isn’t so often we see someone go from learning the basics to an unstoppable force as quickly as Lola did,” said her coach, Maureen O’Sullivan. “Lola wasn’t always a picture-perfect swimmer, as most successful swimmers don’t start that way, but there was a moment at a young age when we could see the switch flip. At a meet early on in her career, she flew up and down the pool faster than we’ve ever seen her, and faster than the best swimmer on the team at the time.”
At twelve years old, Lola realized that she loved to swim and that there was nothing she would rather do than swim in her free time. This newly discovered passion led her to start practicing every day. Around a year later, Lola joined the Varsity Swim Team as an eighth grader and quickly became an integral part of the team.
As Lola grew older and started to take swimming more seriously, she needed to remind herself that the reason she swims is for her own enjoyment.
“I find that when I have fun with swimming, I tend to do better,” said Lola, “I just have to tell myself to have fun and remember why I love the sport.”
In her sophomore year, Lola broke six school records, some of which she set herself and then broke again. Just this year, she broke four records, two individual events, and two relays.
Last year, she set the Hackley record for the 50 free, which she broke again, with a time of 23.76 seconds. Not only did she win NYSAIS this year, but she also set the new NYSAIS record for the 50 free. In addition to the 50 free, she broke the Hackley record for the 500 free, with a time of 5:01.30, coming first in NYSAIS and setting a new personal record in the event.
Lola’s 200 medley relay team with Kayce Park, Ella Chen, and Heidi Chen rebroke the record they had previously set the year before at the Ivy League Championship meet. Her 400 free relay with Kate Masters, Ella Chen, and Heidi Chen broke the 10-year standing record and won Ivys.
For the past two years, Lola has been awarded MVP for the swim team, last year sharing it with Kate.
Coach O’Sullivan believes that the reason Lola is such a successful swimmer is because “in races, Lola lets her training take over, and doesn’t allow doubt to creep in.”
Outside of school, Lola swims for the club team, Empire Swimming, and travels all over the country competing at different meets. Lola is currently ranked 8th in the state for the class of 2027 and hopes to compete at the collegiate level.
Even though there is a constant pressure in swimming to set a personal record, Lola reminds all swimmers to not take swimming too seriously and “whatever you are doing, make sure you are having fun,.” she said.
