By Eun-Ju Shara Choi

What would it feel like to break a national swimming record before becoming a teenager? Just ask 12-year-old Islander Lauren Poli.

Poli won first place in the 50-yard breaststroke among 12-year-olds in the Northwest Section Age Group Championships March 18-20. She also placed fourth in both the 50-yard fly stroke and 100-yard breaststroke.

Other Bellevue Club Swim Team (BCST) Islanders who placed in the top eight of the Sectionals include Ethan Hallowell, 12; Alex Hoff, 13; Ian Fisk, 13; Chris Picardo, 13; Murray Longbotham, 14; Rachel Godfred; 14, and Jay Voit, 16. BCST won third place in the championship.

The Age Group Sectionals Championship is a three-day, high standard qualifying event held every March at the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way. The competition consists of 143 teams from six states — Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana and Alaska — with 1,400 athletes participating.

Poli swam 50 yards in 30.82 seconds, setting the highest National Reportable Time (NRT) among 12-year-olds currently in the United States.

“We didn’t even know at first (that Lauren set the national record),” Christine Poli, Lauren’s mother, admitted. “One of the other parents called us — that’s how we found out.”

Lauren was recognized for her achievement by Speedo Corp.; she wore a Speedo brand sharkskin swimsuit during the competition. After she won the 50-yard race, Speedo contacted the Polis over the telephone and personally thanked Lauren for wearing their suit during the competition.

Although Lauren shows great potential in swimming, her parents are not “crazy sports parents” as one might associate with a star student athlete such as Lauren.

“We want her life to be balanced with school and other sports,” John Poli, Lauren’s father, explained. “We don’t want her to burn out too much in sports.”

“I think that (our) goofy, laid-back attitude has probably helped her,” Christine adds. “We believe that if the talent’s there and you grow it in the right direction, she’ll think: `I really like swimming the best.’ The light’s going to go off, and then she will decide that she wants to train for the Olympics.”

Lauren has enjoyed splashing around in swimming pools since the age of 6 and began competing at 8. The Polis moved to Mercer Island about three years ago from Virginia. Before moving to the Island, Lauren held two county records in Prince William County, Va., as well as numerous club records.

“I still get nervous, though,” sheadmits with a timid smile.

Lauren is active in other sports as well. When she first moved to the Island, she participated in gymnastics for a year. She also played soccer last year for her school and plays lacrosse this year.

“She wanted to play lacrosse in the afternoon,” Christine says. “If she doesn’t get to do other stuff, she might end up not liking swimming.”

Along with swimming and lacrosse, Poli says she enjoys running track. Although she doesn’t run on a team, she is contemplating joining the cross country team at her school in the future. She also enjoys hanging out with her friends after school at the local QFC.

“Lauren likes to socialize,” Christine says.

“Lauren has a lot of friends,” John agrees. “She has made a great set of friends from the Island.”

Lauren’s coach at the Bellevue Club, Zane DeWitz, agrees with Lauren’s parents. He says that during swim meets and competitions, she is “pretty laid back.”

“However, when she gets back behind the block, it’s different,” DeWitz said. “She’s really good at racing. There are some things that you just can’t teach. Some athletes just know how to race, just like some athletes just know how to shoot a basketball.”

Some swimmers practice twice a day, once in the morning before school and again after school during the late afternoon, six days a week. Poli, however, usually only practices about three or four times a week, according to DeWitz.

“She has tons of talent,” DeWitz says. “I would just like to see her more at practices.”

However, despite practicing less than others and her interest in other sports, Poli remains dedicated to swimming. When she is in the water, whether she is at a competition or just at practice, her goal is not about breaking records.

“I don’t even care about records,” she says. She focuses on improving on her personal interval times when she’s in the water.

“I want to go to the Olympics one day,” Poli says of her ultimate goal.