It’s no secret that Our Lady of Mercy Academy has some of the fastest swimmers in the state blazing down the center lanes of the pool. But outside lanes are where crucial points are earned and playoff matches are won.
That’s where the Villagers excel.
“One of the things we preach is that every lane counts and you fight for the person on the other sides of you,” OLMA swim coach Stephen Tucker said. “Even [those] behind the blocks encouraging people are all trying to achieve the common goal.”
The Villagers have three senior captains this year. Scarlett McGlinchey, a Duke University commit, has been well-recognized as one of the state’s top swimmers. She’s joined by Reese Hetzer and Lauren Terista, who gather those valuable team points in the outer lanes each match. Both Hetzer and Terista play multiple sports at OLMA and were incredibly important to the school’s state championship swimming team two years ago.
Hetzer and Terista have become popular and well-respected teammates. When it’s race time, they give everything they have no matter what lane they compete in.
“It really showed me you don’t have to be the fastest swimmer. It’s really all about your character,” Terista said of being a captain. “You get to empower your teammates. They’re swimming faster than me, but they still look up to me. That’s so cool.”
Hetzer is a lifelong swimmer who decided to take on another sport late in her high school career. She joined the tennis team as a senior and played alongside first doubles partner Sara Weiss. They produced an impressive 12-5 record in their 17 dual matches together.
Terista is a soccer star by nature. An explosive scorer, she netted 20 goals during her junior season. Hampered with a groin injury this year, she missed about 12 weeks, leading to just six goals in the fall.
“My senior soccer season was almost completely wiped out,” Terista said. “At the beginning of swimming season, I wasn’t feeling too good, but swimming really helped me recover. Now I’m back to 100 percent, and I’m so grateful to be back in a sport.”
Terista and Hetzer helped the Villagers with their first six meets this season, which secured the Cape-Atlantic League American Division for the second straight season. The Villagers also won the large school title of the South Jersey Interscholastic Swimming Association Invitational on Jan. 25.
“We started at the bottom and rose all the way to the top,” Terista said. “Sophomore year, we really took off, especially with Coach Tucker. He really transformed our program. Not just us swimming fast times in the pool, but mentally.”
Terista and Hetzer both enjoy their time at school and stay busy outside the pool.
Terista is on OLMA’s Student Leadership Council and participates in several service projects, including taking middle school students to the Funny Farm Rescue and Sanctuary in Mays Landing to visit rescued animals. She’s also a lifeguard at the Vineland YMCA and plans on possibly incorporating swim safety in a school assembly called Deliver the Voice.
“We educate people in our school on an important topic,” Terista said. “Sometimes it’s politics or social media. This year, I have the opportunity to lead Deliver the Voice, so I will pick a topic and create a whole assembly. I think that will be really fun.”
Terista plans to study either biology or engineering next year in college. Hetzer plans to engage in a career in civil engineering.
“I really like math and science and the process of building things,” Hetzer said.
She also enjoys school, which shows when she’s performing student ambassador duties. “I get to share my love for the school and everyone,” Hetzer said. “I really like it here. It’s been so great for me.”
And Terista and Hetzer have been great for the OLMA swim team. “They are truly wonderful leaders,” Tucker said. “We’re blessed to have them on the team for the last four years, including the three that I’ve been here. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls between those two and Scarlett [McGlinchey].”
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