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Lauren Rosenberger agrees to mix up strokes for Lyons
Western Springs Saturday 09.08.12. Lyons' Lauren Rosenberger competes in the 300 yard medley relay during the Lyons Township Varsity Relay Invitational at Lyons High School south campus on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, in Western Springs. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media
Updated: October 29, 2012 6:20AM
WESTERN SPRINGS — The top returning distance swimmer for Lyons has a new assignment.
Junior Lauren Rosenberger of La Grange has competed in the 200-yard freestyle and 500 free the past few seasons and finished 32nd in the 500 free in last year’s state meet.
Now she has added the 200 individual medley in attempt to gain more points for Lyons, which should be considered the favorite in the West Suburban Silver after Hinsdale Central suffered heavy losses to graduation.
Rosenberger added the new event after Lyons lost its top IM swimmer, Lizzy Kosin, to graduation. Kosin also was a standout player for Lyons’ 2010 state championship team.
“I also wanted to change. I wanted to see how I would do in the IM,” Rosenberger said. “I have worked a lot on my backstroke. I knew it was my worst stroke. I can keep up with people on the fly. Hopefully, I’ll do well at that.”
Lauren is competing with her older sister, Kristine, for the final time this season. The Rosenbergers each made their own state meet appearances a year ago as Kristine appeared in three relays and tied for 39th in the 50 free. She as a part of Lyons’ seventh place 200 free relay.
As swimmers with two practices per day, the sisters get to see a lot of each other during the season. The Rosenbergers car pool with fellow varsity swimmers who live in their neighborhood, sophomore Kristen Young and freshman McKenna Dunn.
“We both wake up super early before we drive to our normal practice,” Lauren said.
Lyons trains in the pool from 5:30-7 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, the swim team goes through dryland training with running in the field house at South campus and one day a week spent weightlifting. The team also practices every day after school.
Lauren is Lyons’ best bet to replace previous 500 standout Jennifer Weigand, who graduated after finishing seventh in the state meet.
Rosenberger competes for the Lyons swim club and participated in the 1,000 and the mile in a span of four days at the Senior Championships at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
“It’s really tough for that meet,” Lauren said. “You are tired at the end. The mile is difficult.”
