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Panther does it all and then some

By TERRY JONES

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 15, 2000

TAMPA -- Earning letters in four different sports, winning a state title and finishing the first semester of a senior year with a 5.8 grade-point average is an achievement few can claim. Plant senior Allison Kirkwood has achieved all three.

According to her, it requires hard work, endurance, time control, lots of studying and support from her parents.

Kirkwood, a high school All-American swimmer, reduced her sports participation to two in the past two years.

However, Kirkwood remembers the juggling she and her parents did to keep up with volleyball, cross country, swimming and track during her sophomore year.

Swimming, cross country and volleyball were all in the fall season.

"Swimming has always been my sport," Kirkwood said. "I swim year-round with my club team when not in the high school season. But I just enjoy athletics and will graduate with nine sports letters. My sophomore year was the hardest and if not for the help of my parents, I would not have been able to do it. Now it is just swimming and track."

Kirkwood's GPA while taking honors courses has opened doors. She has been interviewed by Harvard but also has applied to Columbia and Emory. Although none have offered athletic scholarships, Kirkwood has academic scholarship offers and hopes to swim at the school she attends. Even though college is high on her priority list, this week, her focus is on one thing.

This is the week Kirkwood, her Panther teammates and more than 100 swimmers from Hillsborough County travel to Orlando to compete in the state meet.

She was part of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that won the 2A state title last year and placed second in the 400 freestyle relay.

Kirkwood said she believes she has a good shot at winning the 50 freestyle and that she will need to finish in less than 24 seconds to do so. Her best time this year is 24.2, but she has broken 24 in a relay. Kirkwood's teammate, sophomore Christine Anseew, could win the 100 freestyle, according to Plant girls coach Gil Gonzalez. "We have had some great teams in the nine years ... but this could very well be the best," Gonzalez said. "We have some serious seniors and very talented freshmen and sophomores. If everyone does their best times this week, it could be a banner year for us."

Other county swimmers with hopes of state titles include Jesuit's Kris Wiebeck in Class A and Durant's Carrie Ellis in 3A. Ellis, a senior, won the 50 and 100 free last year and is a favorite to repeat. Durant could also challenge for a team title.

Last year, Wiebeck won the 100 backstroke and also is favored to repeat.

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