Elishka Hajek started swimming competitively at nine years old with the Pine Bush Aquatic Club. She recalls being nervous at first and said, “I wasn’t that good,” but she liked being with the team and her coaches.

She still likes being with her team and coaches. One big change, though – she really is THAT good.

Elishka, a senior captain of the Section IX champion Pine Bush Swim Team, signed an early letter of intent to swim with Division I Campbell University in North Carolina on a full athletic/academic scholarship.

“In the back of my mind I always wanted to swim in college,” said Elishka, who is the oldest of three in her family. “I didn’t want it to end at high school.”

Who can blame her? Elishka has been a varsity swimmer since seventh grade. It’s been a big part of her life, swimming for both the club and the school. She said her confidence grew each year. “I felt I got better each year.”

She swam at states as part of a relay team as a freshman. In her sophomore year, she qualified for states both as an individual swimmer and as part of a relay.

“That’s really when my confidence took off,” she said.

She has added weight training three times a week to her routine, which has definitely brought up her game. “It’s been a major part of my success.”

Pine Bush head coach for girls’ swimming is John Barth. He has high praise for Elishka as a swimmer and as a person.

“Elishka was the Section IX outstanding swimmer of the meet,” said Coach Barth about the Section IX tournament. And that honor was much deserved, he added.

“This is an incredible team. It’s a fantastic group of young ladies who work very hard,” said Coach Barth. “The culture on the varsity team is that we are going to work hard and be successful. Elishka is a leader in that. She has such a great work ethic and is a role model for others on the team. She is a great kid”

This year, Elishka was part of the New York State championship Pine Bush 200 freestyle relay team. As dominant a program as Pine Bush girls’ swimming is, this was its very first state championship. In addition to Elishka, the championship relay team included Samantha McKee, Cora Mance and Mackenzie Gula. Overall, Pine Bush finished second in the state.

Elishka also finished second in the state in the individual 50 freestyle event.

She has tremendous gratitude and admiration for all who support her, which includes her family and coaches.

“Our coaches are the best,” she said. “They devote so much time to our training and success.”

In addition to Coach Barth, who also coaches the club team, there is Mike Reineke and Kathy Gallagher.

“We are so lucky to have them,” Elishka added. “I know I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”

And yet Coach Barth gives more credit to Elishka herself.

“Elishka’s attitude and spirit have played a tremendous role with the younger girls on the team,” said Coach Barth. “She has a great work ethic, she eats great, yet she doesn’t take herself too seriously.”

“I can be hard on myself,” Elishka admits. “I want to succeed and do the very best I can every day.”

And, Barth said, as excellent a swimmer as she is, he sees her growing even more.

“Elishka still has room to grow,” Coach Barth said. “Her college coach is so lucky to get her. She will put the work in.”

Her family has been there every step of the way, supporting her. They are a competitive group, she said. Her mom, Kendra, rowed crew in college, her brother, Tomek, a sophomore, plays hockey and her sister, Anna, a sixth-grader, swims for fun for now. Her dad, Jan, was a competitive ballroom dancer in college.

“We tease him about that,” she said.

Looking to the future, Elishka plans to major in criminal justice at Campbell and someday work in the law field. For now, she is thrilled to have been a part of this incredibly successful group of teammates and friends.

“I am very honored and fortunate to be on such an amazing team.”