Lexie Shue

Rick Devereux

It isn’t often that someone comes along and changes the direction of

an entire program, especially a swim program, but Corona del Mar High

sophomore Alexandra Shue did just that as a freshman.

“Lexie, as a freshman, was the focal point in pushing our program

to the next level,” Coach Doug Volding said. “She’s a veteran of our

team as a sophomore and she was a veteran as a freshman -- that’s how

good she is.”

Volding said Shue has been breaking school swim records ever since

she arrived, but she was especially fast last week at the Pacific

Coast League finals and Friday at the CIF Southern Section Division

II preliminaries at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool.

Shue, the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, broke her previous

records in the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle last

week and was the freestyle anchor on the 200 medley on Thursday. She

was named the PCL Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive year

for swimming the 200 IM in 2:06.95 and 500 free in 4:56.37, and her

24-second freestyle leg helped the Sea Kings qualify first in the 200

medley relay with a time of 1:50.89. The CIF meet record is 1:49.51

in the 200 medley relay, a record Volding thinks will fall today in

the finals.

“I had the records in mind,” Shue said. “I didn’t even do my best

times at the league finals.”

Shue said she swam faster times in the 500 free while with her

club team, the Aquazots.

“I want to win CIF in the 500 with a 4:50 because I had a 4:51

with the Zots before,” Shue said. “I’m striving to win the 200 IM,

but there are a lot of talented girls out there in that race.”

Shue started out in club swimming five years ago and she said she

started going “hard core” in the sport in the eighth grade.

“I haven’t thought about what I’ll do next,” she said. “I want to

take swimming as far as I can.”

Volding has thought about Shue’s future and he thinks she can go

to the highest levels of the sport.

“If she stays healthy she can shoot for the Olympics,” he said. “I

wouldn’t bet against her.”