After a breakthrough yet sometimes anxious junior season of swimming, Riverside Brookfield High School senior Hailey Vlcek began Monday’s first official day of high school practice well rested.
Vlcek followed four lifetime-best times with her Academy Bullets club team at the National Club Swimming Association Summer Championships, July 24-28, in Indianapolis, by taking some time off away from the pool.
“These two weeks [after nationals] I was kind of taking a bit of a break from training, a mental break,” Vlcek said. “This is the longest break I’ve had in three years, so it’s kind of weird for me.”
The only all-state girls swimmer for the Bulldogs has high hopes after her 2023 state meet last November, followed by a great club season. After verbally committing to the University of Illinois, May 20, Vlcek also has the recruiting process behind her.
“I really loved the team there and the environment,” Vlcek said. “The people there were just amazing. The coaches, too (head coach Jeana Kempe and assistant Kyle Patnode). I feel like the coaches are really supportive and they’ll push me when I’m there. The academics are really good and that’s part of the reason.
“[The recruiting] was a fun process, but it was also very stressful. Still having school and homework and then high-school season, practicing and everything, it was a lot. I’m really excited to have it done and I’m set for senior year.”
Also a top student, Vlcek still is deciding on her major. She made her official visit to Illinois last September and hoped to be committed somewhere by fall.
“I wound up going on [three] more visits,” Vlcek said. “Then with swimming and nationals, I wound up pushing it back until May. [But] I wanted to have it done before my senior year.”
At the 2023 IHSA state meet, Vlcek improved her first-team all-state finish in the 200-yard freestyle to third (1:51.05) after taking fourth in 2022 (1:52.30). Vlcek also was an honorable mention all-state 14th in the 100 free (51.75).
In the state prelims, Vlcek improved her all-time RBHS records in the 200 free (1:50.50) and 100 free (51.49). She also holds school records for the 50 free (24.22), 100 butterfly (59.14) and 200 individual medley (2:10.00).
Third place is the highest state finish for any RBHS girls swimmer or diver.
“I’m really excited for high school and seeing what I can do,” Vlcek said. “The summer was mostly about training for me. I’m excited to see how all of that training plays out in the short-course pool again. I’ve definitely set some new goals and expectations for myself.”
At the NCSA summer nationals in long-course meters, Vlcek achieved lifetime bests for the 100-meter free (57.89), 200 free (2:04.31), 400 free (4:24.52) and 100 backstroke (1:05.51) and just missed bests for the 50 free (27.61) and 200 IM (2:24.24).
The 100, 200 and 400 free times gave Vlcek her first USA Swimming All-America honors for club or high school. Her 200 free time came in leading off the Bullets’ 800 free relay, which won in a state-record 8:14.75 and currently ranks No. 2 nationally in the open age division.
“She had a great summer,” said RBHS coach Mike Laurich, who also coaches with the Bullets.
“I think when she had the decision made [for Illinois], that burden on her shoulders was relieved and that gave her a chance to just go and swim and not have to impress anybody. Just go out there and race and I think that helped a lot. We’ve got a couple of more months to figure out what we’re going to do at her last state meet.”
The last two days of nationals also coincided with the start of the Paris Summer Olympics and numerous title and medal performances by Team USA women’s and men’s swimmers. The Olympic action was streamed during competition.
“We were warming up and watching Olympians swim at the same time,” Vlcek said. “It was kind of distracting but kind of cool. And everybody’s cheering for the U.S. It was like watching an actual race. Some of the coaches were whistling.”
