By Chloe Newsome
It’s a hot summer day. All the kids are outside splashing around in the pool. They are all just having fun, not taking it as a competition. This is not the case for Brady Samuels.
Samuels and Sam Bennett were both part of the Eagles swim and dive teams for four years. They both decided to continue their academic and athletic careers at Purdue University, where they are now sophomores.
Bennett and Samuels accomplished many different goals during their high school careers. Bennett was a two-time state champion diver. Samuels was a state champion in two different events as a senior, the 50 freestyle and 100 fly.
Now, as Delta graduates, they have set different goals for their college career.
“Before I graduate I would like to become a Division 1 All American,” Samuels said.
Bennett also has set goals for this season.
“This season I hope to (make the finals) at Big Tens in both of my events, as well as become an All-American (make the finals at the NCAA championships),” Bennett said.
Samuels has been working hard to get to where he is today. He has been swimming competitively since he was 10. He also competed for the Cardinal Community Swim Club.
He said he liked to swim because of the discipline it taught unlike the other sports he played. Samuels chose to major in sales and sales management at Purdue.
“I chose Purdue because of the great athletic facilities, family members have gone there, great coach who has been coach there for over 30 years, and perfect location from home,” Samuels said.
Samuels recently had a big win in Ann Arbor. Samuels got first in the 100 freestyle with a winning time of 44.27 seconds. Bennett has also recently competed at a diving meet. Bennett also participated in the Ann Arbor meet in the men’s 3m diving competing 6 dives. He won with a score of 332.80.
Bennett has been diving since he was 15 years old. Bennett likes to dive because he has always loved acrobatics and diving is the sport he is passionate about. Bennett majors in Psychological Sciences at Purdue.
“Purdue has the No.1 program for diving in the U.S., but the coaches are also some of the best people I’ve ever known,” Bennett said. “I knew that if I went to Purdue they would help me grow as a person as well as an athlete.”
Samuels practices an average of 20 hours per week. He has nine swimming practices a week with three weight training practices on top of that. B
Bennett practices between 20 and 25 hours weekly.
They make different memories at practices and at the meets they attend.
“My favorite meet up to date is last spring’s NCAA championships,” Samuels said. “Racing with the boys in such a great environment against the best in the world was a lot of fun. I don’t have a specific practice memory in mind, but it’s always a good time racing my teammates and moving toward our goals.”
