A-K Valley senior spotlight: Fox Chapel’s Rei Sperry
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At the biggest moment of the season, Rei Sperry was at her best.
The Fox Chapel senior swimmer helped the Foxes capture gold medals in the 200-yard medley relay (1:43.90) and 400 freestyle relay (3:29.23) March 3-4 at the WPIAL Class 3A championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
“She really came up big for us, especially anchoring the 400 and medley (relays),” coach Dan Taylor said. “This is what she has done for four years. She thrives in those situations.”
Sperry also finished second in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, setting a personal best time in the 50 (24.02 seconds) and a school record in the 100 (51.59).
The gold and silver haul gave Sperry 10 WPIAL medals for her career. She also has earned a pair of state medals and will look to add to that total this week at the PIAA championships at Bucknell.
“I believe we are seeded first in the 200 medley relay,” she said. “Our goal is to make top three and maybe win it. It would be really cool. I think we can. … In terms of my individuals, I want to get a better time. I want to get 23 (seconds) in the 50 free — 23 anything. In the 100 free, I want to drop more time and make finals and hopefully medal.
Sperry stepped off the podium for a few minutes last week for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:
What’s the background with your first name?
My grandfather named me. It’s Japanese, first ray of the sun, which means first light in the morning.
How did the team perform at the WPIAL meet?
I think we did incredible. I think we went past all expectations that our coaches and we thought we could do. It was so cool to see all the hard work we put in and get medals and trophies. We all did amazing.
What was the most memorable moment for you personally?
There’s a tie. When we won the medley relay and the 400 free relay. I love relays because you are with your team and some of your closest friends. You’re cheering them on. It’s such a group effort. I was anchor for both relays. I remember looking up and seeing a No. 1 with our school; it was electric.
What’s the biggest challenge in your events?
For the 50 free, it’s all technical. You have to have a perfect start, perfect turn, perfect finish. It’s all technique. If you get tired, technique goes out the window. You have to maintain a laser point focus in sprint events. It’s all milliseconds. In the 100, it’s all about when you breathe or your turns. You have to have so much focus and intensity.
How did you get involved in swimming?
My mom started me at a really young age, mommy and me swim classes. We just kept with it. I tried other sports. Swimming was never my full time extracurricular until freshman year of high school. I don’t regret it at all.
Have you made plans for next fall?
Everything is up in the air. I’m looking at a bunch of schools. A couple in Brooklyn, N.Y., Boston, L.A. I hope to swim in college. It helps keep you sane, have a schedule, stay in shape. It’s not all work. I get a little bit of play time. I would like to major in either chemistry or biology, definitely a pre-med track. Both my parents are in the medical field.
Are you involved in other activities at Fox Chapel?
I used to do volleyball. I’m in a bunch of clubs. I’m doing track for the first time this spring. I just wanted to try it. I wanted to do sprint events.
What is something people might not know about you?
I was going to play volleyball in college, but I kind of chose to continue swimming over putting more energy into volleyball.
Which sport is tougher with training?
Definitely swimming. Swimming is by far the hardest sport I’ve every done, both mentally and physically.