Swimmers enthusiastically embrace early morning practices
It’s early. The alarm is going off. Highland Park swimmers know practice starts at 6:45 a.m.
They have to get in the pool.
Hold on. Make that, they get to get in the pool!
Remembering the difference between “have-to” and “get-to” helped the Scots achieve at high levels in the 2025-26 season.
“Of course, it’s hard to get up in the morning every morning and swim,” said senior Maddy Persefield. “But I’ve definitely seen how the mindset has changed to where we have the ability to swim in the morning. It’s really changed me just to have that get-to mindset.”
Neighborhood Spotlight
Park Cities
Where the Park Cities Stay Connected.
As a two-year captain, Persefield sees that her words have influence, which heartens the Scots’ swimming and diving coach, Jason Pullano. In his fourth season, he’s seen his first freshman class become seniors, led by Persefield and others.
“Seeing the buy-in that those seniors have for how we do things, why we do things, having some influence over their teammates, being the captain-led team we want them to be, has been really fruitful,” he said. “We’ve been blessed with really good leaders over the last four years. This group of captains, by far, has been the most in sync with each other and with me and the pulse of the team.”
Persefield, who competes in the 200-and 500-meter freestyles and any relay where she’s needed, gets the bulk of the credit for the resulting culture.
“She is the first one that I rely on,” Pullano said. “If there were one kid that embodies what we want a Scot to be and sound like and look like and act like, it would be Maddy.”
Highland Park has a long swimming and diving tradition. Persefield now is a part of it, thanks to her brother, who wanted to try an Ironman triathlon when he was 10 years old. Before long, he was in the pool practicing.
Naturally, sis didn’t want to be left behind.
“My brother did it, so I did it,” she said. “A lot of my friends, their parents swam or their grandparents swam. With me, it’s just my brother wanted to do an Ironman, so here I am, 10 years later.”
Now the senior and her teammates get to — there’s that phrase — compete for Highland Park and keep a standard going. The camaraderie, sportsmanship, and competitiveness of the Scots are easily seen.
“The main cheering comes from our teammates,” Persefield said. “You see your teammates lining up behind each lane, cheering you on, whether it’s a 50 or a relay, even a 500. You’re always going to have somebody behind your lane cheering for you. That’s one of the things I love about HP, specifically, especially our team. We’re cheering behind each lane.”
It makes those early alarms not sound so bad. A fun practice in the pool awaits. The Scots get to dive right in.
