Page 28 - 2020 IHSAA Annual Report
P. 28

The Story of Emma Wright



               Flash forward a year later to the IHSAA Swim-  They also learn how to deal with adversity by
               ming and Diving State Finals in Indianapolis on   gaining a perspective that only gut-wrenching
               February 14, 2020. Emma Wright, now a junior,   disappointment can provide.
               had just finished third, not first, in the 100
               freestyle at the state finals with a time of :50.52.   Participating in high school sports in 2020
               The new champion was one of Emma’s best   also includes a lesson in patience. The
               friends, Kristina Paegle, a Bloomington South   coronavirus has had a profound effect on
               sophomore who completed the race in :49.57.  every student-athlete in Indiana, especially
                                                         swimmers like Emma who are used to being in
               “At first, I was sad. I was disappointed. I was   the pool at least once, if not twice, a day.
               a little bit down on myself,” said Emma. “And
               it really bothered me when a newspaper    “I haven’t been back in a pool since the state
               reporter wrote that ‘I came up short.’”   finals, which was months ago,” she said with a
                                                         frustrated smile. “I’ve never had this long of a
               “People don’t understand what high school   break. There’s not a pool in Hobart with water
               sports are about,” explained Tomiko. “Emma   in it. My body needed to recharge, but I really
               didn’t come up short. She performed to the   miss the release that swimming provides.”
               best of her ability at that moment in time. Who
               could ask for more?”                      Emma’s story has a happy ending in lots of
                                                         ways. Soon after the 2020 swimming and
               “I’ve lost more than I’ve won,” continued   diving state finals, the head coach at the
               Emma. “You can’t appreciate what it feels like   University of Houston called Emma and
               to win until you lose. That’s where motivation   offered her a scholarship, which she accepted
               comes from. It’s how you learn to pick yourself   on her 17th birthday. “I felt so welcome during
               back up.”                                 my official visit,” Emma explained. She also
                                                         has her senior year at Hobart, the chance to set
               Emma Wright’s story is being repeated     more school records and another state meet
               hundreds of times every year in Indiana.     to look forward to. Plus, she’s learned some
               Student-athletes like Emma celebrate sport   valuable life lessons.
               in a myriad of ways—winning a big game
               against an archrival, capturing a conference   “I have much more of an open mind than I used
               championship, setting a new personal record   to,” said Emma. “I know anything is possible.”
               and maybe, just maybe, having the opportunity
               to be a state champion.








              “Emma didn’t come up short.



               She performed to the best of her


                ability at that moment in time.



               Who could ask for more?”



               –Tomiko Wright, Emma's mother




               28        INDIANA  HIGH  S CHOOL  A THLE TIC  ASS OCIA TION         Annual Report        2020
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