PORTSMOUTH — Tony Min is one of the shining stars on a strong Exeter High School swim team this season, and coach Jacqui Redmond said the junior has made a big leap this year, and continues to get better with every meet.
“Tony is a stellar athlete,” Redmond said. “But he is also probably the most dedicated swimmer on my guys’ team. At our practices, he is always the first one in the pool and the last one out. He knows his times, and other kids times, and is always willing to help his teammates as well.”
At last weekend’s swim meet in Portsmouth, Min won the 200-meter Individual Medley (2 minutes, 22.74 seconds) and the 100-meter butterfly (1:01.28), but his focus was still on helping his team in whatever way he could. Having already qualified for the state meet in a number of events, Min said Saturday’s meet was about supporting teammates, and maybe trying some events he doesn’t typically compete in.
“For us, we want to try something new – new strategy, new events – and see how it feels to decide what we want to do at states,” he said. “We also want to make sure we get as many teammates qualified as we can, and we want to help get them there. Part of that is working hard and doing well ourselves. I think when we swim fast, people are motivated and pushed to swim faster.”
Redmond said that Min’s ability to lead in both deed and action has been a big help to her team this year, and she added that he has taken a giant leap forward since joining the Phoenix Club team.
“I think joining Phoenix has made a difference in his approach,” she said. “He has proven that he is very committed and willing to put in the work to get better, and that work has paid off. He is swimming very, very fast.”
She said that both Min and Hannah Lord, one of the leaders on the girls team, have been huge factors in the team’s success, not only with their own success, but with their willingness to support teammates.
“They are both great leaders,” Redmond said. “They are definitely very supportive of other swimmers. They made it a point to do what they needed to do to get qualified (for the state meet) and now they sacrifice for their teammates. Sometimes that means not competing in one of their better events to give a teammate the chance to qualify, and sometimes that means trying different events to support the team.”
Redmond said that Min’s dedication to swimming while in the pool, and to his teammates when he is outside the pool, has allowed him to emerge as a leader, and she expects that will continue to be a benefit to the team as the Division I state meet approaches.
“We have a really great team,” Redmond said. “We have a group of kids who are dedicated, and who work hard and support each other. Tony is one of the kids that really embodies what this team is all about, and I think that will go a long way for us when we go to the state meet.”