Kozloski etches mark at state meet – Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice

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Ask Kyle Kozloski in regards to the District 2 Class 2A meet, and the Tunkhannock sophomore has bittersweet feelings.

Personally, he wasn’t completely happy along with his particular person efficiency — regardless of two first-place finishes within the relays and silver medals within the 50 and 100 free.

But the Tiger was completely happy that he superior to states in 4 occasions, and was happy with his teammate, Jaden Baltrusaitis, who was the golden customary in these two occasions.

“I was happy for Jaden because we were right there, together, in all those events,” he mentioned. “I was disappointed because I was only able to hit one PR at the district meet.”

That’s as a result of he was saving it for the state occasion.

Kozloski wanted to carry house an armored truck from Bucknell as a result of he had fairly the haul on the PIAA Class 2A meet.

He teamed up with Baltrusaitis, Aiden Mislevy and Chase Newhart to seize the gold medal within the 200 free relay in 1 minute, 25.33 seconds, and partnered with Baltrusaitis, Braydon Christopher and Logan Teaman to complete third within the 400 free relay.

Individually, Kozloski wasn’t carried out.

He completed second within the 100 free, touching the wall in 46.42, and third within the 50 free with a time of 21.02 to carry house a complete of 4 top-three finishes from the state meet because the Tigers completed second as a staff behind District 10’s Erie Cathedral Prep.

And the scary half is that he’s solely a sophomore.

For his efforts, Kozloski was named The Citizens’ Voice Boys Swimming Performer of the Year.

The Tunkhannock swimmer sat down with The Voice to speak about his sophomore 12 months, what it’s prefer to win 4 state medals and what his plans and targets might be as a junior.

Q: Talk about your swimming journey and the way you bought concerned within the sport?

A: I began once I was seven. I began as a result of my older brother swam in highschool, and he had the medley document. I actually needed to affix so I might beat his document.

Q: Having an older brother that was within the sport, how a lot motivation and inspiration did he present you?

A: Lots. He had the quickest 50 time on a relay begin for the longest time till JB (Jaden Baltrusaitis) and I acquired it. I don’t know who acquired it first as a result of we had been buying and selling it forwards and backwards all season.

Q: How good is it to have a teammate like Jaden who’s at observe on daily basis to push you?

A: It makes you higher. It’s nice, to be sincere. If I didn’t have JB, I do know that I wouldn’t have been capable of swim as quick as I did. Without him, I wouldn’t be the place I’m now.

Q: Entering your sophomore 12 months, what had been a few of the targets and expectations that you just set for your self?

A: I actually needed to get that medley document. That has been my purpose since I began. I needed to get the 50 and 100 document, however actually, I needed to have enjoyable. States is all about having enjoyable for me. I prefer to hold the strain off. You actually don’t wish to go into states with a bunch of stress in your shoulders.

Q: What did you study out of your freshman 12 months?

A: Freshman 12 months, once I was at states, I don’t know if I had the correct amount of focus wanted at that occasion. I used to be simply completely happy and excited to be there as a result of I used to be a freshman at states. This 12 months, I had the correct mindset as a result of I knew I had an opportunity to position in my occasions.

Q: Did you’ve gotten a sense that you just had been going to have a powerful state meet?

A: I used to be actually excited to enter the 50 and 100, as a result of as a freshman, I solely went in for the 100. And I actually desire the 50 over the 100. I actually needed to position excessive. I knew I had an opportunity. I’ve been swimming these occasions since I used to be 12, so I knew this was my alternative.

Q: Is the 50 free your favourite occasion?

A: Yes. It’s a quick race, and I like that tempo. I hate distance swimming. The 100 is the longest that I’ll go.

Q: What was it prefer to win a gold medal within the relay along with your teammates?

A: It was actually enjoyable. Having one individual from each grade on the staff was actually cool to see — as we had a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior on the staff. That was a extremely cool factor to see.

Q: How robust is it for a child in each grade to mesh collectively? Is it robust to construct that chemistry?

A: Not actually. Jaden and I swam in age group collectively, and so did Aiden. The solely new individual was Chase, however he’s considered one of my closest mates exterior of swim. Other than that, it wasn’t arduous to mix collectively in any respect.

Q: Talk about your two particular person swims at states, the 50 and 100. How did they really feel?

A: They felt good. I used to be completely happy to position how I did. Just being prime eight within the state, understanding that you just beat the general public within the state at that occasion, it’s a fairly particular feeling.

Q: What’s the feelings like being on the medal stand as a sophomore? And in your case, standing up there a number of instances.

A: It’s good being up there. You simply really feel a way of accomplishment as a result of you know the way arduous you’ve gotten labored to stand up right here.

Q: What does your offseason appear to be?

A: A couple of years in the past, I did a summer season swim program, however I didn’t do it this 12 months as a result of we had an trade pupil from Italy, and I went house with him for the summer season. I’m going to get again and try this summer season program that I did two years in the past.

Q: Have you begun to consider subsequent 12 months?

A: I have already got the college information for the 50 and 100. I used to be fascinated by possibly attempting the Two IM or possibly the 100 fly to simply combine it up and check out one thing totally different. Swimming free on a regular basis, it’s robust — particularly if you get these week-long stretches. Doing the IM, it will give me an opportunity to work on all of the strokes extra.