Episcopal Academy’s Cole Whitsett is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The Episcopal Academy senior, who holds a number of pool and school swimming records, broke the National Independent High School Record in the 100 short course meters butterfly Dec. 9 against The Haverford School with a 55.35 in the event. That broke both the old pool record in the event as well as the National Independent High School record. Last winter, Whitsett, a first team All-Main Line swimmer, was second in 100 breast at Easterns, seventh in 100 fly and helped EA finish second in 200 medley relay and fifth in 400 free relay, and at Inter-Acs, was first in both 100 fly and 100 breast. Next winter, Whitsett will swim for the University of Tennessee.
Q: In the 100 fly against Haverford, what was your first reaction when you found you broke the record? What was the key to your success that day?
A: Just before my race, I took a peak at Haverford’s record board and thought “this is pretty within reach.” After shaking hands with the competitors, I gave a celebration to my team on the side of the pool. I didn’t have any intentions of breaking any records that day, it was all spur of the moment. I think the key to my success was the energy of my team supporting me, I couldn’t afford to let them down. So, I gave every stroke of the race all I had without worrying about the next race or how bad it would hurt.
Q: You hold a number of pool and school records. Other than the above record, which record means the most to you and why?
A: My most meaningful EA record is the 100 breaststroke. Last season when I broke it, I won the event at Inter-Ac’s and went a best time, both of which were unexpected. My swim helped propel Episcopal into first place overall at Inter-Ac’s last year.
Q: What do you think you’d like to major in at the University of Tennessee? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: I’d like to study journalism, I enjoy good writing and I like creative writing. My cousin Adrian Whitsett, is a co-anchor on Orlando’s WESH 2 News. If I pursue a career as a journalist I’d like to write about things that interest me, like Hip-Hop influence and internet trending fashions.
Fun facts – Cole Whitsett
Favorite book: The Stranger by Albert Camus.
Favorite TV show: Naruto.
Favorite movie: Limitless.
Favorite athlete: Caeleb Dressel.
Favorite pre-meet pump-up song: Shake Something, by Louis the Child.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: Avalon, N.J.
Favorite pre-meet meal: Chicken and waffles with two fried eggs.
Person I most admire, and why: “Alan Watts, a 20th century philosopher. I most admire his knowledge and insight about the treacheries of life of earth, and how to live happily despite them.”
Family members: parents Virgil and Mai.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
