GIRLS SWIMMING: Dressel looks to add to legacy in final state meet

By David J. Hill<br><a href="mailto:hilld@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail David</a>

KENMORE — It’s hard to imagine now, 16 sectional and two state titles later, but there was a time, six years ago, when a young Marissa Dressel was intimidated by the attention and competition at the big swim meets.

As she heads into her final state meet Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School near Rochester, the Kenmore West senior is poised to defend her two state championships and make one final mark on her illustrious prep swimming career before moving on to bigger and better things.

And this time, when Dressel explodes off the starting blocks she’ll revel in the intensity while, in all likelihood, leaving her competitors in her wake.

“I’m really excited because there’s going to be a lot of close races like last year,” Dressel said. “There are a lot of girls that are really fast who are in my events, a lot of young girls, too.”

Dressel wasn’t always so energized by such stiff competition.

“I one-hundred percent remember when she was in seventh and eighth grade. She was very intimidated by the teams, she was very scared,” said Kenmore West coach Carrie Meetze, who has coached Dressel all six years. “And now...she gets extremely excited about the big swim meets. She loves the competition and the crowd.”

“I was definitely more nervous then than I am now,” Dressel added. “You go in there as an eighth grader or a seventh grader, you’re racing the best in the state so you feel kind of small.”

Now she’s on top of the swimming world in New York, a state known for its competitive swimmers. At the upcoming state meet, Dressel will swim both the 100 and 200 free, and will be a member of the Blue Devils 200 free relay, which is seeded second (1:38.98) in the state, just behind XI-Connetquot (1:38.41). Joining her on that relay are Haley Rice, Leah Villari and Lindsey Sagasta. They’ll also compete in the 400 free relay.

During her six years on the Ken West varsity team, Dressel has won 16 Section VI titles, numerous Niagara Frontier League patches and two state championships. She’s the only swimmer to win a Section VI title as a seventh-grader, doing so in the 500 freestyle. She hasn’t lost a race since the end of her sophomore season when she placed third in the 500 and second in the 200 free at states.

She holds the 200 freestyle state record of 1 minute, 48.47 seconds, and her name is all over the Kenmore West pool record board.

Of the 12 events in high school swimming, there are only three — the 200 individual medley, 100 back and 100 breaststroke — in which Dressel is not the school record holder.

“I look at (the board) but they’re not going to be up there forever,” Dressel said, adding, “Records are made to be broken is what everyone says. Hopefully it’ll just motivate someone else.”

Meetze doesn’t think Dressel’s accomplishments will be coming down anytime soon. “Her name will be up on the record boards for a long time,” she said.

Dressel’s versatility is what has set her apart from her competitors, according to Meetze. “Marissa is by far the full package. I can bring her in any event and she’ll do well. Most great swimmers can only swim certain events. It’s very rare to come across a swimmer who can be so versatile and swim all six strokes,” said Meetze, who says Dressel is undoubtedly the best swimmer she’s coached in her 11 years at Ken West.

Dressel’s work ethic also stands out. While swimmers of Dressel’s caliber can often coast through their dual meet events, then pick up the pace for sectionals and states, Dressel constantly pushed herself, Meetze said.

“What’s great about Marissa is even though she knows there’s not much competition for her during the season, she still gives it 100 percent. She’s still breaking records.”

Following in the flip flops of her older sister Lindsay, Marissa Dressel began swimming with the Tonawanda Titans club at age 9. She wanted to swim for Kenmore West in seventh grade so she could compete with her sister. She never expected her varsity career to span so many years.

“It’s been a long time. I didn’t realize that when I started in seventh grade it would be a full six years,” Dressel said.

“I’ve been in this pool since 2004. A lot of good moments and a lot of things that I really will never forget. I swam with my sister and I swam with Alex Dockstader and now I’m swimming with all these younger kids who I love even more because they’re getting so much faster.”

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.

‘BAMA BOUND

Kenmore West senior Marissa Dressel signed a letter of intent last week to swim at Alabama University. “I definitely wanted to go South because swimming’s huge down there,” Dressel explained, adding that she also considered Ohio State and Indiana University. “They had a really close team and everyone there was really happy to be there. They were excited about their coaches and their training, so I think that’s just what I need.”

“She’ll start out middle of the pack at the school, but because she’s so determined, and with having all the personal attention, she’ll definitely be one of their top swimmers (when she’s finished),” Ken West coach Carrie Meetze said.

Seven members of the Crimson Tide competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics.