FAIRVIEW

Fairview High sees first State-qualifying swimmer

Ashleigh McKinney earns trip to Feb. 9-10 State Meet

Nancy Stephens
The Tennessean

Fairview High School sophomore Ashleigh McKinney is the school’s only competitive swimmer — and she recently earned a trip to the 2018 Tennessee State High School Championship Swim Meet.

A sophomore at Fairview High, McKinney is also making history at Fairview High School. This will be the first time Fairview High School, with 700 students enrolled and more than one out of three participating in athletic programs, will be represented at the State Swim Meet.

Sports can be more challenging without teammates, but Ashleigh has overcome a greater obstacle in her competitive swimming career. She doesn’t have a pool to swim in. Well, at least not a local school pool or indoor community pool for practice.

Since Fairview High School does not have a swim team, University School of Nashville has allowed her swim with their team and represent Fairview High School at meets. 

At age 15, Ashleigh has been swimming since age five when she joined the Fairview Sharks Swim Team.  Fairview High Athletic Director Ricky Jones said he has watched Ashleigh swim since she was little when she competed with the Fairview Sharks. “I am very proud of her accomplishments, and happy that she wants to represent our school and community,” said Jones.

Ashleigh practices before school from 5 a.m. until 7 a.m. traveling to the pool at Boost Fitness on Vaughn’s Gap in Nashville. After school, she drives back for an afternoon practice from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. 

Swimming wasn’t Ashleigh’s first sport of choice when she started high school. “I cheered for Fairview, took gymnastics, and tried other sports, but I finally decided that swimming is where I wanted to put my focus,” said Ashleigh.

In the middle of her freshman year, she was motivated to start competitive year-round swimming and joined Swim 615 at Boost.  “I am now practicing swim every day except Sunday,” she shared.

During Ashleigh's first meet on October 14, 2017, she clocked a qualifying time in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle to represent Fairview High School at the State Meet on February 8-10. She will traveling to the Allan Jones Aquatic Center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where the top 16 athletes in each individual and relay event will be awarded.

State qualifying times are 26.99 for 50-yard freestyle and 1:00.39 for 100-yard freestyle. Ashleigh’s qualifying times for State were 26.92 for 50-yard freestyle and 59.19 for 100-yard freestyle.

She has seen noticeable improvement in her times over the last 12 months. Last January, her 100-yard freestyle time was 1:05.24 and 50-yard freestyle was 59.19.  In May 2017, her 50-yard freestyle hit 31.66 and 100-yard freestyle 1:10.48. 

On January 26, Ashleigh competed in the Regionals where placed second in her heat for the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 58.02, a big gain on her state-qualifying time.

Taking off this amount of time is a huge accomplishment at her age. And while she is focused on those two categories for State, she hopes to take more off time and improve her breaststroke and 200-yard freestyle in the coming year.

Away from the pool, Ashleigh is also an outstanding student at FHS with straight A's and a 4.125 GPA. She serves as treasurer for her sophomore class for student council and is also a member of Beta Club.  Outside of school, she volunteers at Maryland Farms YMCA, teaching youth and children with special needs how to swim. 

Always excited to see Fairview High School athletes excel – especially in a new sport, Jones said, “I hope her efforts will spark an interest in others joining her next year in forming a Fairview High Swim Club. 

As for not having a year-round practice pool, Ashleigh said, “I think it would be so great to have our own pool indoor in Fairview.  It would give so many the opportunity to enjoy this sport!”

 Q & A with FHS' Ashleigh McKinney

Q: What do you enjoy most about competitive swimming?

A: Seeing my times improve.

Q: What do you like least about competitive swimming?

A: Waking up at 4:20 a.m.

Q: What advice would you offer young people about competitive swimming?

A: Start young!

Q: What might surprise our readers about competitive swimming? 

A: It is so hard to take off time (from the clock to improve).

Q: How do you feel about qualifying for state?

A: I am so excited!