“She’s a senior, she’s been around, so everybody knows this girl who swims for Parkview is fast,” said Parkview swim coach Alex Miller.
Parkview’s Audrey Duchsherer is one of the best swimmers in southwest Missouri.
“I love the feeling of racing, and I really love that feeling of when you’re done, that sense of accomplishment,” said Duchsherer.
“She’s that kid that someone from other schools root for, because she’s genuinely a nice person that everyone likes,” Miller said.
The competition is going to be what pushes her to her best when it comes time for the State swim meet next month.
“I got fifth last year at State, and my sophomore year, so the goal is higher than that,” Duchsherer said. “My goal was leading into state, faster than my state time last year. I went 1:56 in my 200 Free, so, hopefully by state this year I’m faster than that.”
“It’s going to take a race with somebody that is capable of pushing her to what she needs to be at,” Miller said. “Right now she’s been cruising for the last month or so; not because she’s done anything wrong, but because she’s done what she’s needed to do to win.”
No matter how she finishes, the Vikings valedictorian has goals that go past the pool.
“I want to be a doctor, a pediatric oncologist,” Duchsherer said. “I’ve had a lot of friends who have had cancer and I think they’re some of the best people, and it’d be really fun for me to get to meet more people like that.”
“I have no doubt that if she sets her mind to those goals that she’ll do it,” Miller said.
