“Mitchell’s Brock Russell Makes Waves: Charting New Heights in South Dakota Swimming”

MITCHELL — Brock Russell exhibits a laser-like focus in the swimming pool.

In pursuit of eliminating precious seconds from his race times, Russell challenges himself to discover an additional gear at every meet, serving as an inspiration not only to his teammates but also to competitors in the pool. The notion of quitting never enters his mind.

“You must possess that determination to keep pushing forward,” Russell stated, “Even when you’re not witnessing results and you’re not improving your times. Being capable of enduring that and maintaining your efforts to eventually lower your times, growing faster and better, even if you’re not observing results at that precise moment.”

Currently, Russell, a native of Mitchell, has carved a route into the record books through his achievements with the Sioux Falls Swim Team.

He established seven South Dakota short course swimming records at the iFly Midwest Challenge meet held by the University of Iowa from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10 in the 50-yard, 100-yard, and 200-yard breaststroke, as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley, and the 400-yard medley relay alongside teammates Owen Raml, Tyler Kay, and Lincoln Ahrendt.

Except for the 50-yard breaststroke and 400-yard medley relay, Russell positioned himself atop the state record rankings. Furthermore, he also possesses the state long course record in the 400-meter individual medley, established back in July.

Among all his achievements, one feature of his swimming journey cannot be quantified to the hundredths of a second: Russell’s remarkable dedication to honing his skills.

“He seldom skips a day, and he’s consistently giving 110% in whatever we’re engaged in,” head coach Kyle Margheim remarked. “That includes extremely tough training sets or skills we practice daily. He’s always asking, ‘How can I enhance my strokes? How can I improve my efficiency in the water?’”

“The commitment and hard work required to show up for practice daily and to enhance oneself drew me toward the sport,” Russell said. “Everyone involved is striving to improve. There are essentially no slackers at practice; everyone is there to get better.”

Margheim first encountered Russell as an 8-year-old through Mitchell’s swimming lesson programs at that time. At the conclusion of the program, after receiving a certificate encouraging him to join the swim team, he eagerly seized the opportunity, in addition to participating in various other sports during his childhood.

“I engaged in every sport imaginable,” Russell reflected. “I likely tried or played nearly every sport, but I ultimately joined the swim team and began swimming, discovering a passion for it. I truly enjoyed swimming for enjoyment, being able to do it every day, even in the winter, was incredibly exciting.”

Russell spent five years competing for the then-Mitchell Aquatic Club until reaching his freshman year of high school. However, after multiple coaches departed from the program, he chose to reconnect with Margheim, who was now leading the Sioux Falls Swim Team.

This decision proved to be the right one, as the pool within the Mitchell Recreation Center was closed shortly after Russell left the team due to structural cracking and lamination issues.

Now commuting to Sioux Falls for practice, Russell’s concentration grew stronger during training sessions and competitions. Even while setting records, he continually sought ways to improve his times and aim for greater speed in every aspect of swimming.

“He’ll approach me, having set the state record, and say, ‘I really wanted to be a half-second faster,’” Margheim noted. “He has never lost that desire to compete. When success begins to surface, it’s easy to lose that edge, but he hasn’t let that happen.”

Excelling primarily in the breaststroke, Russell has devoted much of the early season to refining his kick to enhance his speed in the water, while also focusing on maintaining the power generated by the stroke throughout the lap or race.

Always a learner of the sport, Russell observes performances by other swimmers both at competitions and on television to see if he can gather insights that could be advantageous to his own swimming abilities. This made his participation in the Speedo Winter Junior Championships in Austin, Texas, a truly enlightening experience.

“It’s incredible to attend these significant meets because I consider myself quite fast,” Russell mentioned. “But in these events, there are swimmers who are exceptionally fast, resembling many collegiate athletes. It’s surreal to be among individuals who are on the same level or even higher than you. It’s an excellent preview of what collegiate swimming will entail.”

Ranked as the No. 1 men’s swimming recruit in South Dakota according to

swimcloud.com

, Russell visited the Universities of Minnesota and Alabama while also receiving inquiries from Louisville (Ky.) and Miami (Ohio), all Division I institutions.

In the end, he decided to remain close to home and will enroll at the University of South Dakota to continue his swimming journey. Although Russell’s family has jokingly teased him about becoming a Coyote, as his grandparents and parents are all alumni of South Dakota State University, he stated that USD was the ideal choice due to the opportunity to possibly compete immediately while surrounding himself with amazing individuals affiliated with the university.

Having longed for a team atmosphere since joining the Mitchell Aquatic Club in fourth grade, Russell’s peers hope he continues to relish that aspect of competing, understanding the additional rewards of being a teammate as college introduces a new set of challenges.

“One focus we emphasize here is swimming for your team,” Margheim stated. “That’s something Brock will carry with him. He’s like, ‘Whatever they need me to do.’ He possesses the mindset of having personal goals while also being mindful of team objectives.”

Russell will maintain his swimming activities at the club level throughout the summer before transitioning to college, alongside mowing lawns and managing his own car detailing venture to keep himself busy. He acknowledges the valuable contributions of everyone who has aided his growth in the sport, from teammates and friends to coaches and his family during his journey.

“The lessons that fellow swimmers have imparted to me will remain invaluable skills I will remember for a lifetime,” Russell remarked. “Life is filled with twists and turns. So I hope our team can stay connected, and Coach Margheim not only shaped us into outstanding athletes but also into great individuals.”