New Lebanon Swimmer Continues to Breaks Records

Senior Alex Sotek has been swimming competitively since she was seven years old. She started swimming with the Shatford Sharks Swim Club and hasn’t stopped since. Currently, she swims for the Berlin-New Lebanon Swim Team where she competes in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Backstroke, 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, and team relays.

When she isn’t practicing and competing with the BNL Swim team she competes with the Berkshire YMCA Polar Bears Competitive Youth Swim Team in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

During her time on the BNL Swim Team Alex has broken five individual records including the 200 Freestyle, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, and is part of two team relays that both hold school records.

When asked what it feels like to see her name on the records board, she said it feels amazing. “I feel like it’s something that shows it’s my home. I grew up there. That’s the first pool I started swimming in and it’s my last high school pool experience.”

In December 2022 Alex competed at the very competitive USA Swimming New England Senior Championship. She hit her personal record in the 100 Backstroke with a time of 59.55 and finished 30th overall. In the 100 Butterfly race, she swam a 59.07 in the preliminary round and was seeded 24th which was enough to advance her to the finals where she swam 58.42 and placed 20th overall.

Alex credits hard work and perseverance to her success in swimming. “You’re not always going to have the best time. It might take half a season to get your best time and it’s really disheartening, but if you just keep working then eventually you will get it.”

Teamwork is also important to Alex, co-captain of the BNL Swim Team. She says she likes being a leader and remembers how she once looked up to the senior captains when she was in middle school. Her advice for younger swimmers is to keep at it. “It does take hard work. It takes a while but they’re probably already good. It just takes a while.”

When it comes to setting goals Alex is no stranger. But she says that she wouldn’t be where she is today without her parents. “They have believed in my goals and helped me get to my goals every time I’ve had one and they continue to do that now, and I know they will do that in the future.”

On February 18th Alex will compete at the Boys’ Sectional Competition at Shenendehowa High School. She looks to improve upon her outstanding performance from last year where she placed 7th in the Butterfly and 5th in the Backstroke.

Alex plans to continue her swimming career at SUNY Geneseo in the fall, majoring in Neuroscience.