Sydney Godfrey shining in varsity debut for Williamston swimming
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Sydney Godfrey knows she's at her best as a swimmer when she is relaxed.
So before the Williamston freshman swam her first 500 freestyle of the season last week at Charlotte, she had a teammate take a photo of her asking AI how to swim the 500 freestyle.
After senior Brooke Peterson snapped that photo, Godfrey proceeded to go on and win the event, setting a pool record in the process with a time of 5:20.53. That time was the fastest in the CAAC this season and ranked third in the state among all Division 3 swimmers.
"I perform way better when I don't have pressure and do not think about (my race) that much because I'm an overthinker," Godfrey said. "When I don't think about something or I have fun or I joke with my friends next to me, I swim faster. I perform better."
Godfrey, who was voted the LSJ girls high school athlete of the week, has performed well in her debut season on varsity for Williamston. She is on the Hornets' 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays that own the fastest times in Greater Lansing this fall.
Godfrey entered Oct. 5 with the fastest time in the area in the 500 freestyle and ranked second behind teammate Mackenzie O'Brien in the 200 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
The success this fall for Godfrey has built on a strong summer where she won the 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke in the 13-14 age group at a state club swim meet.
And knowing of that success, Williamston swim coach Madi Stewart knew Godfrey would be a standout for her program. She has been impressed with Godfrey's drive in the pool.
"I think her overall determination (contributes to her success)," Stewart said. "She is always asking for more. We were doing a drill based set (in practice) and she was like I just want to swim more yards, I want to get stronger.
"She's always hungry for more."
That push for more for Godfrey has her focused on trying to get some individual records and continue to grow as she pushes to end the season as an all-state performer.
"I'd like to get a couple of individual varsity records," Godfrey said. "We've gotten the relays but I really want to get (some individuals) - especially the 100 back varsity record. I don't know how I'm going to do at state because D3 has a lot of really good fast swimmers, especially the seniors. I just want to set a couple of varsity records."
Contact Brian Calloway at [email protected]. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Sydney Godfrey shining in varsity debut for Williamston swimming