Indiana-bound swimmer Emma Belk continues to signify Springfield properly on nationwide stage

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Emma Belk used to fake she was a mermaid on the Twin Oaks Country Club swimming pool. Even with each legs tucked right into a monofin, Emma’s expertise was so evident that her grandmother took the kid to Springfield Aquatics for formal coaching. Nearly a decade later, on the 2025 Speedo Junior National Championships – the place America’s elite highschool swimmers compete towards the very best – Emma proved as soon as once more she is a part of that world.

Belk positioned sixth general within the 200-Yard Butterfly occasion on Dec. 13 with a private greatest time of 1:58.10, on the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas. The Springfield Catholic senior is dedicated to swim on the University of Indiana subsequent yr.

“It was really exciting, it was really fast,” Belk stated of the Junior Nationals. “A lot of great people were there, I got to see a lot of my future teammates at IU, and it ended up being a pretty good meet for me.”

Belk is a embellished endurance athlete, additionally incomes medalist honors on the state cross nation meet in November for Catholic. In the pool, she has thrived at Springfield Aquatics underneath Blair Bish, now an assistant coach at Dartmouth University, and Pete Hill, the top coach of the Nixa Eagles swim program. With her final look at Junior Nationals within the books, Emma went proper again to work.

“I just got back from travelling (last week), and I wanted to feel my stroke again,” Belk stated. “I had a little stroke reset, just needed to get everything back on track… my first meet back will be in late January, and my next big meet will be in March at state sectionals in Columbia.”

If Belk repeats her swim time from Junior Nationals, she’s going to surpass her Missouri sectionals meet report within the 200-Yard Butterfly (1:58.80). Belk can even look to interrupt her meet report within the 100-Yard Butterfly occasion (52.93).

“I’m meticulous, I would say, about everything that I do. Everything that I do has a purpose,” Belk stated. “Before, in the blocks, I just need to keep breathing and relax. Whenever I tense up, I don’t do as well as I should… I like to listen to fun music and dance behind the blocks – I feel like it keeps me going.”

Belk formally signed with the Hoosiers on nationwide signing day in November, after the household environment in Bloomington received her over.

“When you go on your visits, you have a host. They take you around, and you sleep in their bed while they sleep on the floor – which I feel very bad about,” she stated. “My hosts were just so friendly, and they invited me into their home. The coaches really care about you as a person; they wanted to get to know you outside of the pool.”

Emma’s abilities within the pool, particularly within the demanding butterfly stroke, will increase an ascending Hoosiers program underneath head coach Ray Looze. Belk credit the early days on the Twin Oaks pool when she imagined she was underneath the ocean.

“The mermaid kick is very similar to the dolphin kick for butterfly, so it just kind of, transferred over from using my mermaid tail,” Belk stated.