Claire Salzer Senior Spotlight

As if being a four year, three sport athlete isn’t hard enough, senior Claire Salzer dives into two sports within the same season. Salzar manages to simultaneously crush multiple swimming records in Oshkosh, while also participating in varsity cross country.

Holding multiple swimming records, as well as being a WIAA state finalist, Salzer has dominated the sport during the last four years at West.

 “I love proving myself and other people wrong when it comes to what I am capable of,” she said. “My favorite part of being a student athlete is showing up to practice every day and working hard with my teammates.” 

 However, this is easier said than done, given the pressures of high school life.

 “Her work ethic is impressive, balancing challenging classes, multiple varsity sports, and a job,” swim coach Kelly Wayne said.

A challenge in keeping a foot in each athletic arena transcends the physical.

“The most difficult part about two sports is connecting with both teams,” Salzer said. “Each sport has a very unique atmosphere and when you are not at every practice, sometimes you miss the memorable moments.”

Senior Molli Peterson appreciates Salzer’s sense of leadership.

”She’s overall an amazing athlete and fellow captain,”she said. “I admire her ability to excel at multiple sports, as well as her ability to be a great teammate”.

Despite the potential obstacles, Salzer still manages to establish a vivid team environment between both sports. 

“She takes pride in making everyone feel welcome and wants everyone to have fun,” Wayne said.

Salzer has also proven to be a natural leader.

 “Claire has definitely grown into a more confident leader,” Wayne said.“Not only does she lead by example but as a senior, she has become a vocal leader as well.” 

While some athletes prefer game day instead of the grind leading up to it, Salzer has learned to embrace the journey.

“My favorite part of being a student athlete is showing up to practice every day and working hard with my teammates,” she said. “I am a super competitive person, which always drives me to work hard and get better at what I am doing.”

Yet, Salzer doesn’t depend solely on intrinsic motivation. 

“For cross country, my biggest inspiration is the team. The coaches and my teammates are also so supportive,” she said. 

As far as swimming, Salzer’s ultimate goal is to leave her mark in the West record books. 

“My biggest inspiration is Maggie Werba; the current 100 breaststroke record holder,” she said. “Maggie's name is engraved at the end of the pool and looking at it every day as I swim has always been motivating to break the record.”

Werba (now Maggie Headlee), who went on to swim for the University of Minnesota, feels honored at such high praise.

“I would be so happy for her!” she said. “Records are made to be broken. It would be really great to see someone else on the trajectory to break those records, and I hope that gives her motivation to keep working hard.”

Wayne would put nothing past the focus of her senior leader. Salzer’s scoliosis can be a limiting factor in training, so load management is the name of the game, according to her coach.

“She is determined and puts full effort into everything she does. She always sets big goals for herself and does what it takes to reach them,” she said.“One challenge is that she has to know her body and make sure she is not overworking herself.”

Headlee has witnessed Salzer’s growth up close and personally.

“Her progress as a swimmer has been really fun to watch,” she said. “Seeing her grow from being a really little kid on the Oshkosh YMCA swim team to a middle schooler that I had the opportunity to coach all the way to now, doing great in high school, has been fun to watch. I am proud of her dedication to the sport, and it always makes me happy to see one of ‘my kids’ stick with it and make the sacrifices it takes to be good.”

 Contrary to popular belief, Salzer rarely faces schedule conflicts between cross country and swim practices. 

“She does a great job balancing both and communicating with the coaches,” she said. “Luckily, we don't have too many conflicts, so it all works out. She is a valued member of both teams.”

Salzer attributes her leadership, integrity, and competitive drive all to being a student athlete.

“Both sports provide so many beneficial life lessons that you simply won't learn in school,” she said.

Looking toward the future, Salzer wants to translate her skills toward making a difference in her community by possibly entering the medical field. 

“I am not sure about where I want to go to school, but I am looking at majoring in biology and minoring in Spanish,” she said.

Salzer has proven to be a highly valued member of the West community. 

“She is going to be missed very much, but I am sure she will excel in all her endeavours,” Wayne said.

By John Vanden Heuvel

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 1

October 6th, 2021